by Nick Dobbins
September 2015
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employment in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA was up slightly in August, adding 1,425 jobs (0.1 percent). There were significant gains in industries like Leisure and Hospitality (up 2,792 or 1.4 percent), Educational and Health Services (up 1,952 or 0.6 percent) from an increase of 2,830 jobs in Health Care and Social Assistance, and Professional and Business Services (up 1,470 jobs, 0.5 percent), among others. However, this growth was balanced by a loss of 5,452 jobs (2.3 percent) in Government employment, which was driven in large part by late summer losses in Local and State Government Educational Services (down 2,958 or 4.2 percent and 994 or 2.6 percent, respectively). Over the year, employment remained up in the metro, with 36,171 (1.9 percent) more jobs than in August of 2014. Once again, the only losses in the area were in Information (down 445, 1.1 percent) and Government employment (down 1,719, 0.7 percent).
The Duluth-Superior MSA lost 120 jobs (-0.1 percent) in August. Losses were widely distributed, as Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 362 jobs (1.4 percent), Government lost 141 (0.6 percent), Professional and Business Services lost 66 (0.8 percent), and other supersectors lost smaller amounts of employment. The only supersector to grow by more than 20 was Mining, Logging, and Construction, which added 494 jobs (5.3 percent). Employment growth remained healthier on an annual basis, however, as Duluth added 1,555 jobs (1.2 percent) over 2014 estimates. The most significant job growth by far was in the Educational and Health Services supersector, which added 1,228 jobs (4.1 percent). A number of supersectors lost jobs on the year, including Mining, Logging, and Construction (down 501 or 4.8 percent) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which lost 38 jobs (0.1 percent) primarily caused by a loss of 257 (1.7 percent) in Retail Trade employment.
The Rochester MSA added 415 jobs (0.4 percent) in August. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 102 jobs (0.6 percent), Educational and Health Services added 183 jobs (0.4 percent), and Government added 47 jobs (0.4 percent). The only job losses were in Other Services (down 36 jobs or 1 percent) and Leisure and Hospitality and Financial Activities, which each lost 8 jobs (0.1 and 0.3 percent, respectively). Annually, Rochester lost 317 jobs, making it the only MSA in Minnesota to lose employment on the year. Professional and Business Service remains the biggest job loser, down 309 (5.1 percent) from August 2014. Other supersectors to see declines included Mining, Logging, and Construction (down 126, 2.6 percent), Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 99, 0.6 percent), Financial Activities (down 58, 2.1 percent), and Government (down 97, 0.8 percent).
Employment in the St. Cloud MSA was up by 392 (0.4 percent) in August. The most significant growth came in Leisure and Hospitality (up 164 jobs or 1.8 percent) and Professional and Business Services (up 139, 1.8 percent). Small losses occurred in Government, Other Services, and Manufacturing. For the year, employment in St. Cloud was up by 545 (0.5 percent). Educational and Health Services led the way with 1,421 more jobs (7.1 percent). Significant annual losses occurred in Professional and Business Services (down 355, 4.2 percent), Mining, Logging, and Construction (down 329, 4.9 percent), Information (down 67 or 4 percent), and Government (down 99, 0.7 percent).
Employment in the Mankato-North Mankato MSA was up by 377 (0.7 percent) in August. Service Providers added 493 jobs (1.1 percent) while Goods Producers lost 116 (also 1.1 percent). Bucking the larger statewide trend, Government employers added 149 jobs (1.9 percent), while Private employers contributed 228 jobs (0.5 percent) to the gains. Over the year, Mankato added 785 jobs (1.5 percent) with all reported industry groups showing growth of over 1 percent, save Goods Producers, who added only 25 jobs (0.2 percent) on the year.
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 213 jobs (0.2 percent) in August, although the relatively modest change concealed a lot of movement in specific industry groups. Among the job losers were Manufacturing (down 183, 1.8 percent), Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (252, 0.8 percent), and Leisure and Hospitality (down 221, 1.4 percent). Expansions occurred in Educational and Health Services (up 210, 1 percent), Government (356, 2.3 percent), and Other Services (149, 2.8 percent). Over the year the MSA added 2,390 jobs (1.8 percent), with the most significant of those gains coming in Leisure and Hospitality (up 1,243 or 8.9 percent).
Employment in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA was down 31 jobs (0.1 percent) in August. By far the biggest declines were in Government (down 188, 1.6 percent) and Professional and Business Services (down 55, 1.7 percent). Over the year, the MSA added 1,065 jobs (1.9 percent). The supersectors to lose jobs were Government (down 93 or 0.7 percent), Educational and Health Services (down 129 or 1.3 percent) and Leisure and Hospitality (down 8 jobs or 0.1 percent). The most significant job growth came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which was up 819 or 6.5 percent on the strength of 586 new jobs in Retail Trade and 205 in Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities, and Mining, Logging, and Construction, which added 288 jobs (7.9 percent).
