By Nick Dobbins
February 2024
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA lost 36,839 jobs (1.9%) over the month in January, on a not-seasonally adjusted basis. This was tied with Mankato-North Mankato for the lowest over-the-month growth of any MSA in the state. All but one published supersector lost jobs on the month, with Leisure and Hospitality posting the positive growth, up 1,367 jobs or 0.8%. The largest proportional job loss came in the highly seasonal Mining, Logging, and Construction supersector, which was off by 10.8% or 8,800 jobs. The largest real job loss occurred in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities. The supersector lost 10,296 jobs (2.9%), as Retail Trade was down 6,800 jobs (3.7%), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities lost 3,558 jobs (4.3%). Wholesale Trade employers added 62 jobs (0.1%).
Over the year the metro area added 6,010 jobs or 0.3%. The largest real and proportional growth came in Government employment, which was up 14,353 or 5.9%. All levels of Government added jobs, with Local Government up 7.2% (11,311 jobs), the largest growth of any level of Government. Educational and Health Services added 12,758 jobs (3.7%), which came entirely from the Educational Services component (up 13,607 or 4.5%), as Health Care and Social Assistance employers lost 849 jobs (1.8%). The largest job losses came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was off by 6,062 jobs or 7.7%. On the whole five supersectors added jobs on the year, and five supersectors lost jobs.
The Duluth-Superior MSA lost 2,161 jobs (1.6%) over the month in January. The largest proportional declines came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was off by 8.6% (791 jobs). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 750 jobs (3%) with losses in all published components. Leisure and Hospitality was down 258 or 1.9%. The only supersector with positive growth was Other Services, which added 28 jobs or 0.4%.
Over the year the Duluth area added 602 jobs or 0.5%. Seven of 10 published supersectors had positive annual growth. Educational and Health Services was up 923 (3%), Other Services was up 431 (7.4%), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up 605 (2.5%), with that growth coming largely in Retail Trade (up 438 jobs or 3%), although all published component added jobs. The largest real and proportional decline came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was off by 859 jobs or 9.3%. Government employers lost 847 jobs (3.4%), with annual declines at the State and Local levels.
The Rochester MSA lost 1,429 jobs (1.1%) in January. This was the best performance of any MSA in the state. The largest job loss came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which was off by 885 jobs or 5.1%, with a decline of 739 (6%) in Retail Trade. The largest proportional decline was in Mining, Logging, and Construction, off by 7% (340 jobs). Two supersectors in the area added jobs in January, with Educational and Health Services up 374 (0.7%) and Other Services adding 17 jobs (0.4%).
Over the year the Rochester area added 3,890 jobs or 3.2%. This was the highest proportional growth of any MSA in the state. The growth was driven by Educational and Health Services, which was up 3,728 jobs or 7.1%. Government employers added 485 jobs or 3.8%, with Local Government employers adding 423 jobs (4.1%). Four supersectors lost jobs on the year, with Manufacturing down 242 (2.6%) and Trade, Transportation and Utilities down 340 (2%).
The St. Cloud MSA lost 1,843 jobs (1.7%) over the month of January. Mining, Logging, and Construction was down 556 (7.4%), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 870 jobs (3.8%). Overall, nine of 10 published supersectors lost jobs, with the only positive growth coming in Other Services (up 27 jobs or 0.7%).
Over the year the St. Cloud MSA added 1,206 jobs or 1.1%. Six of 10 published supersectors added jobs, with service providers adding 1,501 jobs (1.8%) and goods producers losing 295 (1.4%). Educational and Health Services employment was up 1,211 (5.7%), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 699 jobs (3.2%). Manufacturing had the largest real job loss, off by 555 jobs or 3.7%. The largest proportional decline came in Professional and Business Services, which was off by 5% (365 jobs).
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA lost 1,101 jobs or 1.9% in January. This was the lowest monthly growth of any MSA in the state, tied with Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington. Goods producers lost 338 jobs (3.2%, and service providers lost 763 jobs (1.6%). All published series lost jobs on the month.
Over the year employment in the Mankato-North Mankato MSA was up 104 jobs or 0.2%. This was the lowest over-the-year growth of any MSA in the state. Goods producers added 146 jobs (1.5%) while service providers lost 42 jobs (0.1%).
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA lost 2,779 jobs (1.8%) over the month in January. Eight of 10 published supersectors lost jobs on the month. The largest proportional decline came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was off by 8%, or 783 jobs. The largest real job loss was in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, off by 882 or 2.7%. The largest growth came in Other Services, up 26 jobs or 0.5%.
Over the year the Fargo-Moorhead area added 2,459 jobs or 1.7%. The largest proportional movement came in Information, which was off by 10.3% (275 jobs). The largest real job growth was in Educational and Health Services, which added 954 jobs (3.4%). The largest proportional growth was in Other Services, which was up 4.8% (240 jobs). Government employers added 763 jobs or 3.8%. Local Government employers added 675 jobs or 5.8%.
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA lost 892 jobs (1.6%) in January. Six of 10 published supersectors lost jobs on the month, with the largest real and proportional growth in any supersector coming in Manufacturing, which added 48 jobs (1.1%). Mining, Logging, and Construction employment was down 8.2% (242 jobs). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was down 372 (3.4%), with Retail Trade off by 259 (3.8%) and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities off by 128 (5.8%).
Over the year the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 886 jobs (1.7%). Government employment was up 452 (3.4%), Mining, Logging, and Construction added 152 jobs (5.9%), and Manufacturing added 206 jobs (4.9%). The largest real and proportional declines, by a large margin, came in Leisure and Hospitality which lost 194 jobs or 3.5%.
