By Nick Dobbins
November 2020
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA added 19,591 jobs (1%) over the month (OTM) in October, slightly lagging the statewide growth of 1.1%. Growth was led by Government and Other Services, both of which added 3.1% (7,158 jobs and 2,341 jobs, respectively. Government employment was greatest at the Local Government level, which added 7,390 jobs, or 5.1%. Education and Health Services added 4,245 jobs (1.3%) on the strength of 3,504 added jobs (8.3%) in Educational Services. Two supersectors lost jobs in October. Leisure and Hospitality was off by 1,602 jobs (1.1%), as is generally the case at the end of summer, and Information lost 617 jobs (1.9%).
Over the year (OTY), the Twin Cities area lost 127,438 jobs, or 6.2%, an improvement from September's 6.6% OTY job loss. Every supersector in the region lost jobs on the year. Other Services, which had some of the sharpest declines in the earlier states of the COVID response, had the best OTY performance of any supersector in October, down just 0.7% (568 jobs) from a year prior. The largest OTY job loss still belonged to Leisure and Hospitality, which was off by 39,375 jobs, or 20.7%. Accommodation and Food Services was off by 17%, or 26,122 jobs. Information employment was off by 11.8% (4,214 jobs), and Mining, Logging, and Construction was off by 11.1% (10,458 jobs). Every other supersector in the region had declines of less than 10%.
The Duluth-Superior MSA added 1,637 jobs (1.3%) in October, slightly outpacing the state's 1.1% growth. All but two supersectors added jobs on the month, as Financial Activities was off by 2% (103 jobs) and Leisure and Hospitality was off by 0.9% (94 jobs). Government employers had the largest proportional growth on the month, up by 2.7% (616 jobs). The growth came entirely at the local and state levels (up 4% and 3.2%, respectively), as federal employers shed 163 jobs (8%) on the month. Mining, Logging, and Construction employment was up by 2.6% (236 jobs). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 408 jobs (1.7%), with most of that growth coming from Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (up by 297 jobs, or 5%).
Over the year, the Duluth area lost 11,291 jobs, or 8.1%. It was the worst proportional OTY job growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota. Every supersector in the area lost jobs, with three posting annual declines of more than ten percent. Leisure and Hospitality lost 3,814 jobs (26.1%), Information lost 177 jobs (14.1%) and Government employers lost 3,050 jobs (11.6%). Professional and Business Services had the smallest annual decline, off by 0.6%, or 49 jobs.
The Rochester MSA added 587 jobs (0.5%) in October. This was the lowest proportional monthly growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota. The relative underperformance to the rest of the state was likely due in large part to the loss of 219 jobs (1.9%) in Manufacturing. Two other supersectors also shed jobs, as Government was off 0.1% (16 jobs) and Leisure and Hospitality was off 0.2% (19 jobs). The largest real and proportional monthly growth came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which added 388 jobs (2.2%) with growth in all three component sectors. Education and Health Services added 331 jobs (0.7%) and Other Services added 54 jobs (1.5%).
Over the year, the Rochester MSA lost 7,440 jobs (5.9%), slightly better than the state's 6.2% decline. Two supersectors added jobs over the year. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up by 419 jobs (2.4%) thanks entirely to the strength of the Retail Trade sector (up 547, or 4.6%), and Mining, Logging, and Construction was up by 70 jobs (1.2%). Information had the largest proportional decline, down by 20.1% (289 jobs), followed closely by Leisure and Hospitality, which was down by 19.2% (2,205 jobs). Education and Health Services lost 3,646 jobs, or 7% on the year.
The St. Cloud MSA added 1,389 jobs (1.3%) in October. Government employers showed the largest real and proportional growth, by a large margin, as the public sector added 1,447 jobs, or 10.3%, with most of that growth coming at the Local Government level (up 1,418, or 18.3%). Three supersectors lost jobs in October, led by Leisure and Hospitality, which was off by 343 jobs, or 5.4%.
Over the year, the St. Cloud MSA lost 3,819 jobs (3.4%). This was the best proportional OTY job growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota (though the Fargo-Moorhead MSA, which is primarily in North Dakota, was slightly better, down 3.3%). Two supersectors in the region posted robust annual job growth. Mining, Logging, and Construction was up by 478 jobs (6.3%) and Trade, Transportation and Utilities was up by 986 jobs (4.3%) thanks to 1,086 new jobs in Retail Trade (up 7.8%). The largest real and proportional job loss came in Leisure and Hospitality, which was down by 2,148 jobs, or 26.3%.
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 1,380 jobs, or 2.4%, in October. It was the best OTM job growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota. Service providers led the growth, adding 1,294 jobs (2.8%) while goods producers added 86 jobs (0.8%).
Over the year, the area lost 3,144 jobs (5.2%). Private sector employers lost 3,264 jobs (6.4%) while public sector employers added 120 jobs (1.2%).
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 262 jobs (0.2%) in October. The growth came entirely from the public sector, as Government employment was up by 382 (1.9%) with growth at both the State and Local levels. Private sector employment was down by 120 (0.1%) over the month.
Annually, the Fargo-Moorhead area lost 4,914 jobs (3.3%). This was the best OTY change in the state, and markedly better than the statewide loss of 6.2%. Professional and Business services had the best performance, up by 0.6% (86 jobs) on the year. Leisure and Hospitality employment was off by 2,156 jobs (14.6%).
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 1,135 jobs (2.2%) in October. Government employers led the way, up 6.7%, or 807 jobs.
Over the year, the area lost 2,263 jobs (4%). The strikingly large gain of 611 jobs (12.9%) in Manufacturing was offset somewhat by declines elsewhere, including the loss of 1,173 jobs (8.4%) in Government employment, with most of those declines coming at the State Government level (down 1,173 jobs, or 17.9%).
