by Nick Dobbins
November 2024
Employment in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA was up by 9,818 jobs or 0.5% over the month in October. The growth came entirely among service providers, as goods producers lost 480 jobs on the month due to the decline of 955 (1%) in Mining, Logging, and Construction. The largest real and proportional growth was in Government employment, which was up 5,008 jobs or 2%, thanks in large part to the addition of 4,131 jobs (5%) among Local Government Education employers. Educational and Health Services employment was up 4,743 (1.3%) over the month, with Educational Services up 1,605 (3.4%) and Health Care and Social Assistance up 3,138 (0.9%). The largest real and proportional monthly employment declines came in Leisure and Hospitality, which was off by 3,282 jobs or 1.8%. Both component sectors were down 1.8%, with Accommodation and Food Services down 2,646 jobs and Arts, Entertainment and Recreation down 636.
On an annual basis employers in the metro area lost 11,210 jobs or 0.6%. The largest real and proportional declines came in Professional and Business Services, which lost 15,891 jobs or 5.2%, with declines in all three major component sectors. The Administrative and Support and Waste Management component in particular posted steep annual declines, off by 7,919 jobs or 8.3%. Financial Activities lost 3,609 jobs (2.5%), and Leisure and Hospitality lost 5,062 jobs (2.8%). The largest real and proportional growth came in Educational and Health Services, which added 18,629 jobs or 5.1%. That growth came entirely in Health Care and Social Assistance, which added 19,873 jobs (6.3%) while its counterpart in Educational Services was off by 1,244 jobs (2.5%).
Employment in the Duluth-Superior MSA was up by 1,164 (0.9%) over the month in October. Growth was driven by Government, which added 1,322 jobs (6%). Local Government employers added 928 jobs (6.9%), and State Government employers added 379 (5.5%). Six of 10 published supersectors added jobs on the month. Notable declines occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (down 352 jobs or 2.5%) and Mining, Logging, and Construction (down 181 jobs or 1.9%), both of them highly seasonal industries that regularly see job losses as the weather cools down.
Over the year employers in the Duluth-Superior MSA lost 1,522 jobs or 1.1%. This was the largest proportional job loss of any MSA in Minnesota. Mining, Logging, and Construction employers shed 1,125 jobs (10.8%), and Government employers lost 1,757 jobs (7%), with that decline coming almost entirely at the Local Government level. The largest real and proportional growth in the area came in the Educational and Health Services supersector, which added 1,506 jobs or 4.8%.
Employment in the Rochester MSA was up by 291 or 0.2% in October. This was the lowest proportional monthly growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota although higher than Fargo-Moorhead's loss of 0.3%. Three of 10 published supersectors lost jobs on the month, with the largest declines coming in Leisure and Hospitality, which was off by 150 jobs or 1.4%. The largest real job growth came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which added 191 jobs (1.1%), with most of that growth coming in Retail Trade (up 168 jobs or 0.1%). The largest proportional growth was in Other Services, which was up 1.3% (50 jobs).
Over the year Rochester area employers added 6,882 jobs or 5.5%. This was the highest proportional annual growth of any MSA in the state. The growth was driven by Educational and Health Services, which added 7,359 jobs or 13.3%, dwarfing all other supersectors in the area in real job change. The next-largest growth was in Government, which added 360 jobs or 2.7%. The largest real and proportional job loss came in Information, which was off by 377 jobs or 34.4%.
Employment in the St. Cloud MSA was up by 707 (0.6%) over the month of October. Government employers drove the growth, adding 558 jobs or 3.6%, with growth at both the State and Local levels. Educational and Health Services added 200 jobs (0.9%), and Other Services added 48 jobs (1.2%). Two supersectors in the MSA lost jobs on the month, as Mining, Logging, and Construction was down 170 (2%), and Leisure and Hospitality was down 79 (1%).
On an annual basis employment in the St. Cloud MSA was up 824 or 0.8%, with four of 10 published supersectors adding jobs. Educational and Health Services, drove the growth, adding 1,156 jobs or 5.1%. Government employers added 647 jobs (4.2%). The largest real and proportional job loss came in Leisure and Hospitality, which shed 368 jobs or 4.6%.
Employment in the Mankato-North Mankato MSA was up 1,230 or 2% in October. The growth came entirely among service providers, which added 1,233 jobs (2.5%) as goods producers lost 3 jobs (0.0%). The private sector added 816 jobs (1.6%) while the private sector added 414 jobs (4%).
Over the year the Mankato area added 2,109 jobs or 3.6%. This was the highest proportional growth of any MSA in the state. Public sector employment in particular showed strong annual growth, up 11.9% or 1,153 jobs. Service providers added 2,123 jobs (4.4%) while goods producers lost 15 jobs (0.1%).
Employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA was down by 438 or 0.3%, over the month in October. It was the only MSA to lose jobs on the month. Professional and Business Services was down 593 (3.4%), the largest real and proportional decline of any supersector in the MSA. Mining, Logging, and Construction was down 150 (1.3%), and Leisure and Hospitality was down 368 (2.4%). The largest positive growth was in Government employment, which added 301 jobs or 1.3% with growth at all three levels of government.
Over the year employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA was up 2,230 or 1.5%. Government employers added 1,124 jobs or 5.4%. Local Government was up by 848 or 7%, and State Government was up 211 or 3.5%. Educational and Health Services was up 985 jobs, or 3.4%. The steepest declines came in Professional and Business Services, which was off by 827 jobs or 5.5%.
Employment in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA was up 769 (1.4%) in October. Government employers drove the growth, adding 685 jobs or 5.1%. The largest real and proportional decline came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was down by 42 jobs or 1.2%. Overall, five published supersectors added jobs and five lost jobs.
On an annual basis employers in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 548 jobs or 1%. Government employment was up 446 (3.3%), and Mining, Logging, and Construction was up 159 jobs or 4.8%. The largest annual job loss came in Leisure and Hospitality, which was off by 315 jobs or 5.5%. Overall, three of 10 supersectors lost jobs, and six supersectors added jobs.
