Industrial Analysis

by Nick Dobbins
January 2025

Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data.
Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.

Overview

Minnesota employment was up by 4,100 jobs or 0.1% over the month in December on a seasonally adjusted basis. It was the sixth consecutive month of growth for the state. Goods producers lost 1,500 jobs (0.3%) while service providers added 5,600 jobs (0.2%). 

Over the year employment in Minnesota was up by 37,498 or 1.3%. Private sector employment was up 17,302 (0.7%), and public sector employment was up 20,196 (4.7%). 

Mining and Logging

Employment in Mining and Logging was up by 100 (1.5%) over the month of December. This growth came following four consecutive months of static employment in the supersector and was the first positive monthly growth since June. 

Over the year Mining and Logging employers lost 214 jobs or 3.2%, which was the second-largest proportional annual decline of any supersector in the state and a step back from November's 2% over-the-year decline. 

Construction

Construction employers lost 1,700 jobs or 1.3% in December. This decline followed a strong November where the supersector added 3,700 jobs. Overall, construction employers added 1,200 jobs from January to December of 2024 on a seasonally adjusted basis. 

On an annual basis Construction employers added 196 jobs or 0.2%. It was the second consecutive month of over-the-year growth in the supersector. Construction of Buildings was up 759 (2.5%), but that growth was tempered by the loss of 396 jobs (2.4%) in Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction and 167 jobs (0.2%) in Specialty Trade Contractors. 

Manufacturing

Employment in Manufacturing was up slightly in December, adding 100 jobs or 0.0% on a seasonally adjusted basis. Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing was up 1,000 jobs (0.9%) while Durable Goods was down 900 jobs (0.4%).

Over the year employers in the Manufacturing supersector lost 4,107 jobs or 1.3%. This was an improvement over November's 1.4% over-the-year job loss. Durable Goods drove the decline, shedding 6,695 jobs (3.2%) with declines in most published component sectors. Non-Durable Goods employers added 2,588 jobs (2.3%), with component Food Manufacturing adding 1,687 jobs or 3.6%. 

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employers lost 800 jobs (0.2%) over the month of December on a seasonally adjusted basis. It was the second consecutive month of losses after three straight months of employment growth. Retail Trade lost 1,100 jobs (0.4%) in December and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities lost 100 jobs (0.1%) while Wholesale Trade employers added 400 jobs (0.3%). 

Over the year employment in the supersector was down by 3,412 (0.6%). Wholesale Trade lost 2,557 jobs (1.9%), and Retail Trade lost 4,188 jobs (1.4%). Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 3,263 jobs (2.8%) with Utilities up 275 (2.1%) and Transportation and Warehousing up 2,988 jobs (2.95). 

Information

Employment in Information was down by 400 jobs (1%) in December. It was the second consecutive month of losses in the supersector. From January to December Information employers lost a seasonally adjusted 2,000 jobs. 

Over the year the supersector lost 1,934 jobs or 4.5%. This was worse than November's 3.6% over-the-year decline, but still an improvement over most of the year as the supersector was largely at 5% decline or worse prior to the fourth quarter. 

Financial Activities

Financial Activities employers lost 700 jobs (0.4%) over the month of December, with declines in both component sectors. Finance and Insurance was down 300 (0.2%), and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing was down 400 (1.1%). 

On an annual basis employers in the supersector lost 2,547 jobs or 1.4%. Finance and Insurance employment was down 2,184 (1.4%), and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing lost 363 jobs (1%). 

Professional and Business Services

Employment in Professional and Business Services was up by 1,000 (0.3%) in December. All three component sectors added jobs, with Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services up 200 (0.1%), Management of Companies up 400 (0.5%), and Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services up 400 (0.4%). 

On an annual basis, the supersector lost 11,856 jobs or 3.1%. The loss was driven by Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, which lost 9,200 jobs or 7.8%. Management of Companies lost 2,712 jobs (3%), and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment was mostly flat, up 56 jobs or 0.0%. 

Educational and Health Services

Educational and Health Services employers added 5,100 jobs (0.8%) over the month in December. The supersector posted positive seasonal monthly growth in every month of 2024 and has had 26 total consecutive months of growth. Health Care and Social Assistance was up 4,600 (0.9%) in December, and Educational Services was up 500 (0.7%). 

Over the year Educational and Health Services added 41,090 jobs or 7.1%. This was the highest proportional growth of any supersector in the state. Most of the growth was in Health Care and Social Assistance, which added 39,265 jobs or 7.8%. Ambulatory Health Care Services added 17,192 jobs (10.5%), and Nursing and Residential Care Facilities added 7,210 jobs (6.6%). The other half of the supersector, Educational Services, added 1,825 jobs (2.5%) despite a loss of 164 jobs (0.6%) in Private Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools. 

Leisure and Hospitality

Employment in Leisure and Hospitality was down by 700 (0.3%) in December. Accommodation and Food Services lost 1,600 (0.7%) while Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation added 900 jobs (2%). From January to December the supersector added 1,200 seasonally adjusted jobs. 

Over the year employers in Leisure and Hospitality added 1,099 jobs or 0.4%. Accommodation and Food Services added 916 jobs (0.4%) as Accommodation employment was down 1,533 (6.2%) but Food Services and Drinking Places added 2,499 jobs (1.3%). Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation employment was up by 183 or 0.5%. 

Other Services

Other Services employment was down by 2,200 (1.9%) over the month of December. This was the largest seasonally adjusted proportional decline of any supersector in the state. From January to December, the supersector lost 500 seasonally adjusted jobs. 

Over the year Other Services employers lost 1,013 jobs or 0.9%. Personal and Laundry Services lost 587 jobs (2.1%), and Religious, Grantmaking, Civic and Professional Organizations lost 601 jobs (0.9%), while Repair and Maintenance employers added 175 jobs or 0.7%. 

Government

Government employers added 4,300 jobs (1%) in December. There was positive growth at all three levels of Government, with Local Government driving the growth (up 3,700 or 1.2%). State Government employers added 400 jobs (0.4%), and Federal Government employers added 200 jobs (0.6%). 

Over the year Government employers added 20,196 jobs or 4.7%. Every published Government series posted positive annual growth. Local Government drove the overall growth, adding 15,752 jobs or 5.3%, with Local Non-Educational Services up 11,662 (8%) and Local Educational Services up 4,090 (2.7%).