by Nick Dobbins
August 2024
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA lost 16,219 jobs or 0.8% over the month in July. This was slightly worse than the statewide loss of 0.7%. Goods producers added jobs in the metro, with Mining, Logging and Construction up 1,324 (1.4%) and Manufacturing up 1,338 (0.7%), the largest proportional growth of any supersector, with positive growth in all component sectors. The largest job losses came in Government, which was off by 18,040 (6.7%). Education employment drove that decline, with Local Government Education down 17,797 (18.5%) and State Government Education down 1,711 (4.6%). All non-education Government sectors added jobs. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 2,936 jobs (0.9%) with declines in all three major component sectors.
Over the year the metro area added 2,126 jobs or 0.1% which was lower than the statewide growth of 1%. The largest proportional annual growth was in Government employment, which was up 7.8% or 18,040 jobs. Local Government drove the growth, adding 14,902 jobs or 10.1%. Education and Health Services had the largest real job growth, adding 19,297 jobs (5.5%). Health Care and Social Assistance was up 17,387 (5.6%), and Educational Services was up 1,910 (4.7%). The largest real and proportional job losses came in Professional and Business Services, which was down 18,452 jobs or 6.1%. The Administrative and Support Services component sector was down 11,662 or 12.4%. Mining, Logging, and Construction was down 4.2% (4,123 jobs) on the year.
The Duluth-Superior MSA lost 1,063 jobs or 0.8% in July. Five supersectors added jobs and five lost jobs. The largest declines in real and proportional terms came in Government employment, which was off by 1,517 or 6.7%. Only one other supersector lost more than 100 jobs, as Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was off by 103 (0.4%) with declines in all component sectors. Mining, Logging, and Construction added 217 jobs (2.3%), Educational and Health Services added 195 jobs (0.6%), and Leisure and Hospitality added 155 jobs (1.1%).
Over the year the Duluth-Superior MSA lost 1,253 jobs or 0.9%. It was the only negative growth in any MSA in Minnesota. Mining, Logging, and Construction was down 1,094 (10.2%), and Government employers shed 2,311 jobs (9.8%) with most of that loss coming at the Local Government level (down 2,144 or 13.6%). Private Educational and Health Services added 2,646 jobs (8.9%), the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the area. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 463 jobs (1.9%), with Retail Trade up 353 (2.4%) and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities up 106 (1.7%).
The Rochester MSA added 707 jobs (0.5%) over the month in July. It was the only MSA in Minnesota to add jobs in July. Educational and Health Services drove the growth, adding 818 jobs or 1.4%. Overall, six of 10 published supersectors added jobs, with the remining supersectors adding fewer than 100 jobs each. The largest monthly declines came in Government employment, which was off by 222 (1.6%) with losses at the State and Local levels.
Over the year the Rochester area added 5,868 jobs or 4.7%. This was the highest proportional annual growth of any MSA in the state. The increase was driven by Educational and Health Services, which added 5,994 jobs or 11%, the largest real and proportional change of any supersector. Government employers added 824 jobs or 6.2%. The only other supersector to add jobs was Other Services (up 8 jobs or 0.2%). The largest real job loss came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which lost 325 jobs (5.7%), and the largest proportional decline was in Information (down 6.4% or 72 jobs).
The St. Cloud MSA lost 913 jobs (0.8%) in July. Government drove the losses, shedding 1,074 jobs (7.2%) with declines at the Local (down 986 or 10.5%) and State (down 122, 4.1%) levels. Overall, six of 10 published supersectors lost jobs, with the next-largest real declines coming in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 138 or 0.6%). The largest real job growth was in Educational and Health Services (up 212 or 0.9%), and the largest proportional growth was in Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 1.2%, 100 jobs).
Over the year the St. Cloud MSA added 1,600 jobs (1.5%). Six of 10 published supersectors lost jobs, but the largest movement in either direction came in Educational and Health Services (up 1,982 jobs or 9.4%) followed by Government (up 639 jobs or 4.9%). The largest real job losses came in Manufacturing, which was down by 430 (2.8%), and the largest proportional decline was in Leisure and Hospitality (down 3.6% or 302 jobs).
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA lost 880 jobs or 1.5%, the largest decline of any MSA in the state. Public sector employers lost 1,019 jobs (9.8%) while private sector employers added 139 jobs (0.3%). Service providers lost 920 jobs (1.9%), and goods producers added 40 jobs (0.4%).
Over the year the Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 1,124 jobs or 2%. Service providers added 1,100 jobs (2.6%) while goods producers lost 75 jobs (0.7%). Private sector employers added 690 jobs (1.4%), and public sector employers added 434 jobs (4.9%).
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA lost 1,209 jobs (0.7%) over the month of July. Government employment had the largest real and proportional declines, shedding 1,879 jobs or 9.3%, with most of that loss coming at the Local Government level (down 1,816 jobs or 14.6%). The largest positive growth was in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which added 610 jobs or 5.3%. Five supersectors added jobs on the month, and five lost jobs.
Over the year the Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 3,642 jobs or 2.4%. Six supersectors added jobs, and four lost jobs. Educational and Health Services was up 2,048 jobs or 7.3%, the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 760 jobs (2.4%), with growth in all three component sectors: Leisure and Hospitality added 628 jobs or 4.2%, Professional and Business Services lost 547 jobs (3.5%), and Financial Activities lost 444 jobs (4%).
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA lost 380 jobs (0.7%) in July. Government employers lost 465 jobs (3.6%) with losses at all three levels, while Mining, Logging, and Construction lost 144 jobs (4.1%). All other supersectors added or lost fewer than 60 jobs each.
Over the year the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 1,120 jobs or 2.1%. Seven supersectors added jobs, and three lost jobs. Government employers added 427 jobs (3.6%), Educational and Health Services added 430 jobs (4.6%), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 235 jobs (2.2%). The largest real and proportional job losses came in Professional and Business Services, which lost 103 jobs or 2.7%.
