by Nick Dobbins
November 2016
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employment in the Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA increased in October as the area added 1,730 jobs (0.1 percent). The growth was driven by Government, which added 5,456 jobs (2.2 percent). Most of that gain came in Local Government, which added 8,106 jobs (5.3 percent) thanks to an increase of 9,320 (11.3 percent) in Local Government Educational Services. In the private sector the biggest driver of losses was the highly seasonal Leisure and Hospitality, which lost 9,993 jobs (5.3 percent). Of those, 4,439 jobs came from Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (down 12.7 percent), while 5,554 came from Accommodation and Food Services (down 3.6 percent). Notable losses also occurred in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which shed 2,537 jobs (2.9 percent). Annually the area added 26,518 jobs (1.4 percent). Supersectors with significant annual growth included Financial Activities (up 2,889 jobs or 2 percent), Professional and Business Services (up 8,826 jobs or 2.9 percent, 5,113 of which came in the Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services component sector), Educational and Health Services (9,760 jobs or 3 percent, 9,381 of which came in the Health Care and Social Assistance component sector), and Other Services (2,315, 2.9 percent). While most supersectors grew on the year, three lost jobs: Manufacturing (down 495 or 0.3 percent), Information (down 303 or 0.8 percent), and Leisure and Hospitality (909, 0.5 percent).
The Duluth-Superior MSA added 320 jobs (0.3 percent) in October. September estimates were also revised upward slightly, giving the area two consecutive months of modest job growth. The total employment change is largely the product of two supersectors: Government employers in Duluth added 1,283 jobs (5.1 percent), with Local Government adding 887 of those (up 5.4 percent); Leisure and Hospitality lost 1,243 jobs (8.4 percent). The movement in the two areas largely canceled each other out, and overall growth in the area was relatively flat. The Duluth area lost 120 jobs (0.1 percent) over the year. This was the first annual job loss for the MSA since June. The Trade, Transportation, and Utilities supersector shed 980 jobs (3.7 percent) on the year, with 782 of those jobs coming from the Retail Trade industry group (down 4.8 percent). The Professional and Business Services supersector continued to add to its over-the-year growth and was up by 460 jobs (5.6 percent) over October 2015 estimates.
Employment in the Rochester MSA was down by 164 (0.1 percent) in October. This marked the second month in a row of job losses in the MSA. October’s contraction was driven in large part by the seasonal loss of 407 jobs (3.9 percent) in Leisure and Hospitality. Notable growth occurred in Educational and Health Services (up 284 or 0.6 percent) and Government (up 157, 1.3 percent, thanks to the addition of 266 jobs at the Local Government level). Annually the Rochester MSA added 3,080 jobs (2.6 percent). The area’s over-the-year growth continues to outpace statewide growth by a significant margin as state employment grew by only 1.1 percent on the year. Rochester’s annual growth is spread among a variety of supersectors. Educational and Health Services added the most employment over that time period, supporting 1,701 (3.6 percent) more jobs than in October of 2015. Professional and Business Services employment grew at the fastest rate as it added 237 jobs or 4.2 percent. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities also had notable job growth on the year, adding 672 jobs or 3.7 percent.
The St. Cloud MSA added 1,072 jobs (1 percent) in October. A disproportionate amount of that growth came from Government, which added 1,064 jobs (7.1 percent). State Government added 524 jobs (12 percent) while Local Government added 482 (5.8 percent). The fastest private sector growth occurred in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which added 190 jobs (0.8 percent) on the back of a gain of 125 (2.6 percent) in Wholesale Trade. Annually St. Cloud added 2,000 jobs (1.8 percent). Educational and Health Services added the most jobs, up by 1,052 (4.9 percent). The fastest annual growth occurred in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which grew by 11.3 percent (774 jobs).
Employment in the Mankato-North Mankato MSA was up by 1,416 (2.5 percent) in October. The private sector added 725 jobs (1.5 percent) while the public sector added 691 (8 percent). Service providers added 1,392 jobs (3 percent), and goods producers added 24 jobs (0.2 percent). Annually the Mankato area added 242 jobs (0.4 percent). Government employers added 15 jobs (0.2 percent). Private employers added 227 (0.5 percent).
Employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA was up by 1,124 (0.8 percent) in October. Government employers added 402 jobs (2.2 percent) on the strength of 300 jobs in Local Government. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities also had a good month, adding 381 jobs (1.3 percent), with 296 of those jobs coming from the Retail Trade component sector. Annually the Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 1,458 jobs (1 percent). The only supersectors to see their employment shrink were Manufacturing (down 141 or 1.4 percent) and Professional and Business Services (down 287 or 1.7 percent).
Employment in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA grew by 275 (0.5 percent) in October. Private sector employment dropped by 44 (0.1 percent) while Government employers added 319 jobs (2.3 percent). Annually the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA lost 414 jobs (0.7 percent). Leisure and Hospitality drove much of that decline, losing 491 jobs (7.8 percent).
