Regional Analysis

by Nick Dobbins
December 2024

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA lost 5,079 jobs (0.3%) over the month in November. This was slightly worse than the statewide loss of 0.2%. Five supersectors added jobs and five lost jobs on the month. The largest declines came in Leisure and Hospitality, which was off by 8,691 jobs or 4.9%. Professional and Business Services lost 5,449 jobs or 1.9%, and Mining, Logging, and Construction lost 3,890 or 4.2%. The highest real and proportional growth came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which added 6,913 jobs or 2%, with Retail Trade adding 5,072 jobs or 2.9%. Educational and Health Services added 4,653 jobs or 1.2%, with most of that growth coming in Health Care and Social Assistance (up 4,574 jobs or 1.4%).

Over the year employers in the metro area lost 13,959 jobs or 0.7%. This was the lowest annual growth of any MSA in the state. Losses were broad based, as nine of 10 published supersectors lost jobs on the month. The steepest decline in real and proportional terms came in Professional and Business Services, which lost 18,170 jobs or 6%. The declines were driven by the Administrative and Support Services component sector, which lost 11,215 jobs or 11.8%.  The only positive growth came in Educational and Health Services, although that growth was substantial as the supersector added 21,028 jobs, up 5.8%. Health Care and Social Assistance provided all of the growth, adding 21,879 jobs (6.9%) with Nursing and Residential Care Facilities adding 5,656 jobs, or 9.1%. The Educational Services component lost 851 jobs or 1.7%.

Duluth-Superior MSA

Employment in the Duluth-Superior MSA was mostly flat in November, adding 32 jobs or 0.0%. The largest movement came in Leisure and Hospitality, which lost 583 jobs (4.2%) as is common this time of year. Mining, Logging, and Construction lost 307 jobs or 3.3%. The largest real and proportional job growth came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which added 451 jobs or 1.8%. Retail Trade drove the growth, adding 335 jobs or 2.2%. Educational and Health Services added 322 jobs (1%), and Government added 267 jobs (1.1%) with Local Government employers adding 235 jobs or 1.6%.

Over the year employers in the Duluth-Superior MSA lost 584 jobs (0.4%). Six of 10 published supersectors lost jobs. Government employment was off by 1,155 (4.7%) caused by the loss of 1,146 jobs (7.3%) at the Local Government level. Mining, Logging, and Construction lost 627 jobs (6.5%). The largest real and proportional job growth came in Educational and Health Services, which added 1,601 jobs or 5.1%. Employment in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up by 264 jobs or 1.1%. Retail Trade was up 209 or 1.4%.

Rochester MSA

The Rochester MSA added 453 jobs or 0.3%, in November. This was the highest proportional growth of any MSA primarily in the Minnesota. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 513 jobs (3%) thanks to growth of 458 (3.9%) in Retail Trade. Government employment was up 264 (1.9%), and Educational and Health Services was up 340 (0.5%). The largest real and proportional decline came in Leisure and Hospitality, which lost 405 jobs or 3.7%.

Over the year employers in the Rochester MSA added 7,7414 jobs or 6.1%. This was the largest proportional annual growth of any MSA in the state. Growth was driven by Educational and Health Services, which added 7,838 jobs or 14.1%, the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector by a large margin. The next-highest growth came in Government employment, up 638 or 4.8%. Information employers posted a large annual decline, off by 34.7% or 380 jobs.

St. Cloud MSA

The St. Cloud MSA lost 495 jobs (0.4%) over the month of November. Five supersectors lost jobs, four added jobs, and one (Other Services) was flat. Leisure and Hospitality had the largest real and proportional job losses, off by 349 or 4.5%. Educational and Health Services added 119 jobs (0.5%), and Trade, Transportation and Utilities added 160 (0.7%) primarily because of the addition of 155 jobs (1.2%) in Retail Trade.

Over the year employers in Saint Cloud added 695 jobs or 0.6%. Both Educational and Health Services and Government employment were up by 4.8%, adding 1,086 jobs and 749 jobs, respectively. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 315 jobs (1.4%) with declines in both Wholesale Trade and Retail Trade, and Leisure and Hospitality lost 493 jobs (6.3%), the largest proportional decline of any supersector in the area.

Mankato-North Mankato MSA

The Mankato-North Mankato MSA lost 1,360 jobs or 2.2%, in November. This was the largest proportional over-the-month decline of any MSA in the state. Public sector employers lost 64 jobs (0.6%), and private sector employers lost 1,296 jobs (2.6%). Service providers lost 1,305 jobs (2.6%) while goods producers lost 55 jobs (0.5%).

Over the year the Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 1,581 jobs or 2.7%. Service providers added 1,735 jobs (3.6%) while goods producers lost 154 jobs (1.4%). Public sector employment drove the annual growth, adding 1,015 jobs (10.3%) to the private sector's 566 jobs (1.2%).

Fargo-Moorhead MSA

Employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA was up 255 jobs (0.2%) over the month in November. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 476 jobs (1.5%) from the growth of 386 (2.5%) in Retail Trade. Other Services employers added 137 jobs or 2.7%, the largest proportional growth of any supersector in the area. The largest real and proportional decline came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which lost 416 jobs or 3.6%.

Over the year the Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 2,539 jobs or 1.7%. Educational and Health Services added 1,243 jobs or 4.2%, and Government employers added 1,215 jobs or 5.8%. The largest declines came in Financial Activities (down 578 jobs or 5.3%) and Professional and Business Services (down 694 jobs or 4.8%).

Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA

The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 429 jobs, or 0.8%, in November. This was the highest proportional growth of any MSA in the state. Government employers added 446 jobs or 3.2%, the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the area. The largest declines came in Mining, Logging, and Construction which was off by 140 jobs or 4%.

Over the year employers in Grand Forks-East Grand Forks added 1,128 jobs or 2.1%. Mining, Logging, and Construction was up 235 or 7.6%, and Government employers added 827 jobs or 6.1%. The largest real and proportional annual decline was in Leisure and Hospitality, which was off by 326 jobs or 5.8%.