Regional Analysis

by Nick Dobbins
June 2025

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

Employment in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA was up by 32,195 or 1.6% over the month in May. This was better than April's 0.8% over-the-year growth. Overall, eight of 10 published supersectors added jobs on the month. Leisure and Hospitality drove the growth, adding 11,679 jobs or 6.6% with growth in all published components. The largest proportional growth came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was up by 9% or 7,784 jobs. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 3,917 jobs or 1.1%. The monthly losses came in Information and Financial Activities, each of which was down by less than half of a percent, losing 102 jobs and 343 jobs, respectively.

Over the year employers in the metro area added 15,874 jobs or 0.8%, which was an improvement over April's 0.5% over-the-year growth. Six of 10 published supersectors added jobs. The largest growth came in Educational and Health Services, which added 13,237 jobs or 3.6%. Health Care and Social Assistance added 12,563 jobs (3.9%), while Educational Services added 674 jobs (1.4%). Government employers added 7,008 jobs or 2.7%, with Local level employers adding 5,002 jobs (3%) and State employers adding 2,333 jobs (3.3%). The largest real job loss in the region came from Leisure and Hospitality, which was down by 4,163 jobs (2.2%) owing to the decline of 4,187 jobs (2.8%) in Accommodation and Food Services. The largest proportional job loss was in Financial Activities, which was off by 2.5% (3,563 jobs), with every published component sector posting negative annual growth.

Duluth-Superior MSA

Employment in the Duluth-Superior MSA was up by 1,279 or 1% in May. Leisure and Hospitality employment drove the growth as the supersector added 932 jobs or 6.6%, the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the region. Mining, Logging, and Construction also had a strong month, up 272 jobs or 3%. Three supersectors posted negative monthly growth, with Government down 92 jobs (0.4%), Information down 6 jobs (0.6%), and Professional and Business Services down 13 jobs (0.2%).

Over the year Duluth employers added 118 jobs or 0.1%, which was the lowest annual growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota, but still an improvement over April's loss of 0.3%. Annual growth was driven by Educational and Health Services, which was up 1,301 jobs or 4.1%. Manufacturing employers added 248 jobs or 2.9%. Every other published supersector in the Duluth area lost jobs on the year. The steepest real and proportional declines came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was down by 734 jobs or 7.3%.

Rochester MSA

Employment in the Rochester MSA was up by 1,572 (1.2%) over the month, with growth in nearly every published series. The only supersector with negative monthly job growth was Information, down eight jobs or 0.8%. The largest real job growth in the area came in Educational and Health Services, which was up 575 jobs or 0.9%. The largest proportional growth was in Mining, Logging, and Construction, up 6.1% (325 jobs). Leisure and Hospitality employment was up 522 jobs (4.9%).

Over the year Rochester-area employers added 5,754 jobs or 4.5%. This was the largest proportional over-the-year growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota. The expansion came almost entirely from the Educational and Health Services supersector, which added 5,890 jobs or 10.7%, the largest real and proportional growth of any industry group in the area by a large margin. The next largest real and proportional growth was in Government, which added 366 jobs or 2.7%. Six of 10 published supersectors lost jobs on the year, with Leisure and Hospitality down 418 jobs (3.6%) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities down 209 jobs (1.2%) caused in large part by the loss of 202 jobs (1.7%) in Retail Trade.

St. Cloud MSA

Employment in the St. Cloud MSA was up by 1,023 (0.9%) in May. Mining, Logging, and Construction led the growth, adding 621 jobs or 8%. Leisure and Hospitality employment was up by 369 or 4.7%. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 281 jobs (1.3%) with growth in all three component sectors. While four supersectors posted negative monthly growth, only one lost more than 10 jobs, as Government employment was off by 253 or 1.6%.

Over the year St. Cloud employers added 341 jobs or 0.3%. Educational and Health Services had the largest real and proportional job growth, adding 1,008 jobs or 4.5%. This was enough to overcome declines in seven of 10 published supersectors. The largest real and proportional job loss in the region came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was off by 240 jobs or 2.8%.

Mankato MSA

Employment in Mankato was up in May as the MSA added 400 jobs or 0.7%. Goods producers added 284 jobs (3%), while service providers added 116 jobs (0.2%). Private sector employment was up 347 (0.7%), and public sector employment was up 53 (0.5%).

On an annual basis Mankato-area employers added 223 jobs or 0.4%. That growth came entirely among service providers, which added 423 jobs or 0.9%, as goods producers shed 199 jobs or 2%. Public sector employment was up 262 (2.7%), while private sector employment was down 38 (0.1%).

Fargo-Moorhead MSA

Employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA was up by 2,261 or 1.5%, over the month in May. Mining, Logging, and Construction drove the growth, adding 1,429 jobs or 14.6%, the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the area. Leisure and Hospitality employers added 807 jobs or 5.5%. The largest real job loss was in Educational and Health Services, which shed 191 jobs (0.6%).

Over the year employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA was mostly flat, shedding 7 jobs or 0.0%. Professional and Business Services employment was down by 1,322 jobs (8.7%), the largest real and proportional decline in the area, while the largest positive growth came in Educational and Health Services, which added 1,045 jobs (3.6%). Other Services employers added 313 jobs or 6.4%.

Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA

The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 341 jobs or 0.6% in May. Mining, Logging, and Construction employment was up by 345 jobs or 11%, and Leisure and Hospitality added 149 jobs or 2.7%. The largest real and proportional job losses came in Government employment, which was down by 187 or 1.4%.

On an annual basis employment in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA was up by 1,092 jobs or 2%. Educational and Health Services added 465 jobs (5%), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 341 jobs (3.2%) in large part from the addition of 340 jobs (5%) in Retail Trade. The only supersector in the region to post negative annual growth was Leisure and Hospitality, which lost 130 jobs or 2.3%.