by Nick Dobbins
September 2016
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employment in the Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA increased slightly in August, adding 2,746 jobs (0.1 percent). The addition of 5,043 jobs in the private sector was tempered by a loss of 2,297 (1 percent) among Government employers, primarily Local Government, which shed 2,060 jobs (1.4 percent). Professional and Business Services added 2,506 jobs (0.8 percent), with 2,072 of those coming in Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services. Educational and Health Services added 2,303 jobs (0.7 percent), with both component sectors growing. Educational Services added 473 jobs or 1.1 percent, while Health Care and Social Assistance added 1,830 jobs or 0.6 percent. Annually, the Twin Cities metro added 35,263 jobs (1.8 percent). Goods producers actually lost employment, driven by a decline of 1,832 (0.9 percent) in Manufacturing. However, that decline was more than made up for in other areas. Among the supersectors to gain jobs were Professional and Business Services (up 8,591 or 2.8 percent), Leisure and Hospitality (up 6,288 or 3.3 percent), and Educational and Health Services (up 13,485 or 4.3 percent), which added most of its jobs in Health Care and Social Assistance (up 12,440 or 4.6 percent) while the other major component sector, Educational Services, added 1,045 jobs (2.6 percent).
The Duluth-Superior MSA lost 274 jobs (0.2 percent) in August. The most dramatic movement came in Leisure and Hospitality, which lost 166 jobs (1.1 percent) and Manufacturing, which lost 78 jobs (1.1 percent). Notable gains occurred in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (up 77 or 0.3 percent). Annually, the Duluth area added 687 jobs (0.5 percent). This marked two consecutive months of over-the-year job gains in the area, following nearly a year of annual job losses. The gains are largely concentrated among private sector service providers, who added 1,543 jobs, as Goods Producing supersectors lost 492 jobs (3 percent), and Government employers lost 364 (1.5 percent), with declines at all three levels of government. Leisure and Hospitality and Educational and Health Services were notable among supersectors that added jobs, growing by 563 (3.8 percent) and 722 (2.3 percent), respectively.
Employment in the Rochester MSA was up by 1,049 jobs (0.9 percent) in August. Every supersector save one added employment, as employment in the Financial Activities industry group dipped by 18 (0.7 percent). Notable growers included Leisure and Hospitality (up 112 or 1.1 percent), Government (up 169 or 1.4 percent), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (up 339, 1.9 percent). Annually, Rochester added 3,529 jobs (3 percent). Other Services (down 46 jobs or 1.2 percent) joined Financial Activities (down 24 jobs or 0.9 percent) as the only supersectors to lose employment over the year. The largest proportional gains on the year came in Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 287 or 5.8 percent) and Leisure and Hospitality (up 460 or 4.5 percent).
The St. Cloud MSA added 399 jobs (0.4 percent) on an unadjusted basis in August. Mining, Logging, and Construction added 140 jobs (1.8 percent), and Leisure and Hospitality added 173 (2 percent) as two traditional warm-weather industry groups continued their seasonal growth. Manufacturing lost 49 jobs (0.3 percent), which was more jobs than any other supersector shed on the month. Over the year St. Cloud added 3,212 jobs (3 percent). Two supersectors in particular drove the annual growth, as Mining, Logging, and Construction added 783 jobs (11.1 percent), and Educational and Health Services added 2,045 (10.1 percent). These were the two largest annual employment increases, both proportionally and in absolute terms.
Employment in the Mankato-North Mankato MSA was up by 196 (0.4 percent) in August. This gain came entirely from Government employers, who added 354 jobs (4.6 percent). Private sector employment dipped by 158 (0.3 percent), as Private Service Providing industries lost 102 jobs (0.3 percent) and Goods Producing industries lost 56 jobs (0.6 percent). Annually, the Mankato area added 342 jobs (0.6 percent). All of that growth came from Private Service Providing industries, which added 642 jobs (1.8 percent). Goods Producers lost 191 jobs (1.9 percent), and Government employers lost 109 jobs (1.3 percent).
Employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA was down by 612 (0.4 percent) in August. Professional and Business Services lost 368 jobs (2.1 percent), and Leisure and Hospitality lost 458 (3.2 percent). Government employers added 205 jobs (1.3 percent). Annually, the Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 2,304 jobs (1.7 percent). The largest numerical gain came in Professional and Business Services, which added 705 jobs (4.4 percent).
Employment in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA was up slightly, adding 128 jobs (0.2 percent) in August. The most notable gains came in the Manufacturing supersector, which added 121 jobs or 3.1 percent, which was by far the biggest numerical and proportional change of any supersector. Perhaps the most notable decline came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which lost 42 jobs or 0.3 percent. Annually, the area added 803 jobs (1.5 percent). Every supersector save Government added employment over the year, with public employers losing 94 jobs (0.8 percent). Notable gains came in Mining, Logging, and Construction (up by 192 or 5 percent) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (up 177 or 1.5 percent).
