by Nick Dobbins
September 2019
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employment in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA was down by 4,014 jobs (0.2 percent) in August, roughly matching the state’s over-the-month decline. Notable declines were present in Manufacturing (down 1,086 or 0.5 percent), Professional and Business Services (down 1,539, 0.5 percent), Government (down 1,707, 0.7 percent), and Educational and Health Services (down 2,455, 0.7 percent). In all, five of the 10 published supersectors lost jobs on the month. Among the supersectors that showed positive growth, the largest in both real and proportional terms was Leisure and Hospitality, adding 1,656 jobs or 0.8 percent, with growth in both component sectors. Over the year the metro area lost 933 jobs (0.0 percent). The decline is notable as it marks the area as the only MSA in the state to lose jobs on the year. Employment in Minnesota as a whole was up by 0.4 percent, despite the fact that the metro area accounts for over two-thirds of the state’s total employment. Educational and Health Services was down sharply on the year, off by 7,747 jobs (2.3 percent), the largest proportional and real job loss of any supersector in the area. Losses were mostly concentrated in the Health Care and Social Assistance component (down 7,636 or 2.6 percent) with Ambulatory Health Care Services losing 2,370 jobs (2.5 percent), Nursing and Residential Care Facilities losing 1,720 (2.9 percent), and Social Assistance losing 4,428 (6.1 percent).
Employment in the Duluth-Superior MSA was off by 445 jobs (0.3 percent) in August, outpacing Minnesota’s loss of 0.2 percent. Mining, Logging, and Construction lost 265 jobs (2.4 percent), and Educational and Health Services lost 300 (1 percent). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was a bright spot for the MSA, adding 167 jobs (0.7 percent) thanks to an increase of 184 jobs (2.8 percent) in Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities. Over the year Duluth added 1,191 jobs (0.9 percent). Over-the-year job growth in the MSA has been climbing each month since June and outpaced the state’s 0.4 percent over-he-year growth in August. Mining, Logging, and Construction had the strongest growth, both proportionally and in real jobs, as the supersector added 807 jobs or 7.9 percent. Professional and Business Services also had notable job growth, adding 412 jobs or 5.2 percent. Educational and Health Services employment was down by 421 (1.3 percent) over- the-year, and Financial Activities was off by 143 (2.5 percent).
The Rochester MSA lost 144 jobs (0.1 percent) in August. Educational and Health Services led the decline, down 594 jobs (1.2 percent) while Manufacturing employers lost 189 jobs (1.6 percent). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment was up by 312 (1.7 percent) with Retail Trade adding 336 jobs (2.6 percent). On the year the Rochester MSA added 919 jobs (0.7 percent). Manufacturers added 345 jobs (3.1 percent), and Mining, Logging, and Construction employment was up by 203 (3.9 percent). Educational and Health Services employment was down by 292 (0.6 percent), and the largest proportional decline came in Information where employment was off by 3.4 percent (56 jobs).
The Saint Cloud MSA added 465 jobs (0.4 percent) in August. Government employers added 391 jobs (2.9 percent), with State Government contributing 239 of those jobs (up 8.2 percent). Leisure and Hospitality added 205 jobs (2.4 percent) on the month. Annually the MSA added 1,497 jobs (1.4 percent), easily outpacing the state’s 0.4 percent over-the-year growth. Mining, Logging, and Construction continued to do well on an annual basis, adding 863 jobs or 11.1 percent. Educational and Health Services also had a strong showing, up by 675 jobs or 3.1 percent. Leisure and Hospitality employment was down by 229 jobs (2.6 percent) on the year.
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 611 jobs (1.1 percent) in August which represented the largest proportional over-the-month job growth of any MSA in the state, coming on the heels of one of the worst performances in the state in July when employment was down by 2.9 percent. August’s growth came entirely from service providers who added 692 jobs (1.5 percent) while goods producers lost 81 jobs (0.7 percent). Annually the Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 924 jobs (1.6 percent), the strongest over-the-year job growth of any Minnesota MSA. Growth was consistent across published categories, with goods producers adding 278 jobs (2.6 percent) and service providers adding 646 (1.4 percent).
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 485 jobs (0.3 percent) in August. Professional and Business Services added 474 jobs (2.8 percent), the largest proportional growth of any supersector. The steepest decline came in Mining, Logging, and Construction which was off by 2.1 percent or 211 jobs. Over the year the MSA added 853 jobs (0.6 percent). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 831 jobs (2.8 percent) thanks to the loss of 1,075 jobs (6.9 percent) in Retail Trade. Those losses, however, were more than made up for by growth in other supersectors. Notably, Professional and Business Services added 1,080 jobs (6.7 percent), the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the Fargo-Moorhead area.
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 574 jobs (1.1 percent) in August. Leisure and Hospitality employment was up by 258 (4.5 percent), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment was up by 223 (2.1 percent). On the year the MSA added 298 jobs (0.6 percent). Professional and Business Services added 203 jobs (5.9 percent). Government employers lost 262 jobs (2.2 percent).
