State and National Employment and Unemployment

Unemployment

Minnesota’s unemployment rate edged up another one tenth of one percentage point in March to 3.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis. This is the third consecutive monthly increase.

Since last August when the number of unemployed Minnesotans hit its low point, an additional 13,000 individuals have joined the ranks of the unemployed.

U.S. unemployment remained steady at 3.8 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in March.

Select this link for more data

Download monthly analysis of current release

Annual Employment

Minnesota gained 7,605 jobs over the year in March, up 0.3 percent. The private sector gained 8,127 jobs over the year, also up 0.3 percent in March.

U.S. employment rose 1.7 percent overall and 1.8 percent for private sector payroll jobs over the same period.

Six of the eleven sectors shed jobs over the year, with Education & Health Services down 3,669 or 0.7 percent, Trade, Transportation & Utilities down 2,288 or 0.4 percent, Information down 1,720 or 3.5 percent, Manufacturing down 1,416 or 0.4 percent, Government down 522 or 0.1 percent and Logging & Mining down by 4 jobs or 0.1 percent over the year.

Construction remained the strongest sector, up 8,415 or 8.1 percent over the year in March. Four other sectors gained jobs as well; Leisure & Hospitality added 5,412 job, up 2.1 percent, Financial Activities added 2,214 jobs, up 1.2 percent and Other Services added 774 jobs, up 0.7 percent.

Both the Construction and Financial Activities sectors outperformed their U.S. counterparts in March.

Select this link for more data

Download monthly analysis of current release

Monthly Employment

Minnesota gained 1,300 payroll jobs over the month in March on a seasonally adjusted basis. Private sector employers added 1,400 jobs while Government lost 100 jobs over the month. U.S. payroll employment rose 0.1 percent in March with the addition of 196,000 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Five sectors gained jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis in March. Construction showed the strongest monthly growth, adding 2,800 jobs, after two consecutive months of what were likely weather-related job losses.

The remaining six sectors lost jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis. The largest decline was in Manufacturing, down 1,100 jobs, its third consecutive month of losses. All of the decline was in the durable goods portion of manufacturing.

Select this link for more data

Download monthly analysis of current release