By Nick Dobbins
November 2021
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA added 16,472 jobs (0.8%) over the month in October. Government employment was up by 6,563 jobs or 2.8%, which was the largest proportional increase of any supersector. Local Government Education drove the growth, adding 5,700 jobs (7.1%) in October. Professional and Business Services was up 6,222 jobs or 1.9%, with the Employment Services component up 6.7% or 2,960 jobs. Leisure and Hospitality lost 4,870 jobs or 2.9%. It was the largest real and proportional decline of any supersector in the MSA, which is common this time of year as students go back to school and summer recreation ends.
Over the year employment in the metro area was up by 53,474. Leisure and Hospitality continued to post the largest real and proportional increases, adding 22,370 jobs or 16.2%. Professional and Business Services added 18,590 jobs or 6% on the year. Every component sector posted positive growth, with the largest increases coming in Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, which added 9,874 jobs (10.2%), and Employment Services added 4,171 (9.8%). Three supersectors posted negative annual growth: Information lost 4% (1,256 jobs), Financial Activities lost 2.2% (3,481 jobs), and Educational and Health Services lost 0.7% (2,331 jobs).
The Duluth-Superior MSA added 1,674 jobs or 1.3% over the month in October. The largest growth in real and proportional terms came among Government employers, who added 1,462 jobs or 5.9%. Local Government drove the growth, adding 1,132 jobs or 7.1%. Three supersectors lost jobs on the month, as Leisure and Hospitality was down 1.4% (197 jobs), Mining, Logging, and Construction was down 1.2% (115 jobs), and Financial Activities was down 0.4% (19 jobs).
Over the year the Duluth area added 3,797 jobs (2.9%), which was tied with Rochester for the highest proportional over-the-year growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota, trailing only Fargo-Moorhead, which is primarily in North Dakota. Growth was driven primarily by three supersectors: Government employment was up 1,644 (6.7%), Leisure and Hospitality was up 1,499 jobs (12%), and Manufacturing was up 627 (8.1%). Mining, Logging, and Construction posted the largest real and proportional over-the-year declines, losing 617 jobs or 6.2%. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 175 jobs or 0.7%, with Retail Trade down 146 or 1%.
The Rochester MSA lost 525 jobs (0.4%) over the month in October. It was the worst over-the- month performance of any MSA primarily in Minnesota and the only one to post negative job growth. Educational and Health Services lost 619 jobs (1.1%) on the month, which was the largest real job decline, while Mining, Logging and Construction employment was down 1.2% (65 jobs), which was the largest proportional decline. Professional and Business Services added 90 jobs (1.5%), and Government employers added 99 jobs (0.8%).
Over the year Rochester employment was up 3,433 or 2.9%, tied with Duluth for the largest proportional growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota and trailing Fargo-Moorhead, which is primarily in North Dakota. Leisure and Hospitality added 1,193 jobs (12.5%), the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector. Professional and Business Services employment was up 6.1% (347 jobs), and Educational and Health Services added 1,084 jobs (2.1%). The largest real and proportional decline came in Information, which was down 73 jobs or 5.5%.
The St. Cloud MSA added 1,778 jobs (1.7%) in October. Government employers added 872 jobs (5.8%), the largest real and proportional increase of any supersector. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 388 jobs (1.8%) in large part from the addition of 303 jobs (2.4%) in Retail Trade. Mining, Logging, and Construction lost 49 jobs (0.6%).
Over the year the St. Cloud area added 2,087 jobs (2%). Mining, Logging, and Construction posted the largest proportional gains (up 5.9% or 464 jobs), and Manufacturing posted the largest real job growth (up 724 jobs or 5.2%). Educational and Health Services lost 372 jobs (1.7%), and Financial Activities lost 125 jobs (2.3%).
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 1,546 jobs (2.8%) in October. It was the largest proportional over-the-month growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota. Goods producers added 255 jobs (2.6%) while service providers added 1,291 jobs (2.8%).
Over the year the Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 1,246 jobs (2.2%). Private sector employers added 1,185 jobs (2.6%), and public sector employers added 61 jobs (0.6%).
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 1,287 jobs (0.9%) over the month in October. Leisure and Hospitality employers added 663 jobs or 4.8%, the largest real and proportional increase of any supersector. Employment in Mining, Logging, and Construction was down 3.1% or 328 jobs.
Over the year employment in the MSA was up 4.5% or 6,329 jobs. It was the largest proportional over-the-year growth of any supersector in the state. Leisure and Hospitality employment was up 2,618 (21.9%), Mining, Logging, and Construction was up 1,094 (11.8%), and Government employers added 1,078 jobs (5.8%).
Employment in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA was up by 838 (1.6%) over the month in October. Leisure and Hospitality employers added 324 jobs (5.5%), and Government employers added 650 (5.1%). Mining, Logging, and Construction employment was down by 228 (7.3%).
Over the year the MSA added 486 jobs or 0.9%. It was the lowest proportional over-the-year growth of any MSA in the state. Leisure and Hospitality employers added 1,258 jobs (25.1%). Six of 10 published supersectors lost jobs on the year. Professional and Business Services employment was down 7.6% (256 jobs), the largest proportional decline, and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 438 jobs (4.1%), the largest real job loss.
