by Amanda Rohrer
September 2013
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employment in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA increased 1,009 (0.1 percent) over the month of August and was up 56,857 (3.2 percent) over the year. Government employment fell 4,095 (1.8 percent) over the month, proportionately split between State and Local Government. Private Sector gains overcame the loss, with the most significant gains coming from Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 578, 0.8 percent), Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (up 2,636, 0.8 percent), and Other Services (up 2,044, 2.7 percent). Only Leisure and Hospitality saw a substantial decline, falling 1,063 (0.6 percent). Over the year Government fared a little better than the Private Sector, growing 4.3 percent compared to 3.1 percent. The most substantial growth in individual industries occurred in Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 8.4 percent, 5,425) and in Leisure and Hospitality (up 6.0 percent, 10,418).
Employment in the Duluth-Superior MSA declined 5 (0.0 percent) over the month and 167 (0.1 percent) over the year. Over the month Private Sector employment increased 134 (0.1 percent), but was counterbalanced by Government employment which fell 139 (0.6 percent). The Private Sector numeric gains were in Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 47, 0.6 percent) and in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (up 53, 0.2 percent), while the Government losses were driven by State government employment which fell 219 (3.3 percent). There were moderate gains in Local and Federal Government. Over the year the loss was mostly from Mining, Logging, and Utilities and from Government.
Employment in the Rochester MSA increased 18 over the month (0.0 percent) and increased 0.1 percent (78) over the year. Government employment fell 107 (1.1 percent) over the month, but gains in Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 24, 0.7 percent) and in Manufacturing (up 81, 0.8 percent) largely balanced the loss. The most significant Private Service-Providing changes were in Leisure and Hospitality (up 43, 0.4 percent) and in Other Services (down 53, 1.4 percent). Over the year Private Services largely fared well while Government fell 4.9 percent (517) and Manufacturing fell 4.1 percent (450).
Employment in the St. Cloud MSA increased 1,030 (1.0 percent) over the month and increased 2,262 (2.2 percent) over the year. Government employment (up 22, 0.2 percent) and Goods-Producing employment (down 19, 0.1 percent) were largely flat, so most of the monthly change came from Private Service-Providing industries (up 1,027, 1.5 percent). For most industries, monthly change was moderate; the growth came from Educational and Health Services (up 684, 3.6 percent), Leisure and Hospitality (up 330, 3.7 percent), and from Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (up 184, 0.9 percent).
Employment in the Mankato-North Mankato MSA declined 470 (0.9 percent) over the month and increased 772 (1.5 percent) over the year. Government employment was the only sector that saw a monthly gain and was up only 15 (0.2 percent) over the month. Numerically the Private Sector losses came from Service-Providing industries (down 334, 1.0 percent), while percentage-wise Goods-Producing industries fared a little worse (down 151, 1.5 percent). Over the year the strongest sector was Goods-Producing (up 228, 2.4 percent).
Employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA increased 739 (0.6 percent) over the month and 4,369 (3.4 percent) over the year. Government employment increased 247 (1.7 percent) over the month, largely in Local Government employment, although there were moderate declines in Federal and State Government. The most significant gains in Private Sector industries came in Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 119, 1.2 percent) and in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (up 228, 0.8 percent). Educational and Health Services saw a slight decline (down 39, 0.2 percent over the month).
Employment in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA increased 157 (0.3 percent) over the month and 608 (1.1 percent) over the year. There was a slight decline in government employment (down 11, 0.1 percent), mostly a State decline nearly outweighed by Federal gains. The overall monthly growth, however, came from the Private Sector, but even that was inconsistent across industries. Mining, Logging, and Construction fell 90 (2.5 percent), while Trade, Transportation, and Utilities increased 98 (0.8 percent) and Leisure and Hospitality increased 123 (2.1 percent).
