by Nick Dobbins
September 2024
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA added 123 jobs (0.0%) over the month in August, on an unadjusted basis. Six of 10 published supersectors added jobs in August. Professional and Business Services added 2,498 jobs (0.9%) with the addition of 3,599 jobs (4.3%) in Administrative and Support and Waste Management Services (including growth of 6.4% in the Employment Services component). Educational and Health Services employment was up by 2,756 (0.7%) over the month as Educational Services added 1,530 jobs (3.6%) and Health Care and Social Assistance added 1,216 jobs (0.4%). The largest real and proportional job losses came in Government employment, which was off by 2,637 or 1.1%. All component sectors lost jobs on the month, with State Government down 824 jobs (1.2%) and Local Government down 1,682 jobs (1.1%).
Over the year employers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA added 1,799 jobs, or 0.1%. Six of 10 published supersectors lost jobs on the year, but the largest proportional movements were both positive as employment in Educational and Health Services was up 6.1% (21,583 jobs) and Government employment was up 4.8%. (11,087 jobs). Professional and Business Services had the largest real and proportional monthly declines, down 13,930 jobs or 4.6%, but that was an improvement over July's 5.9% annual decline. Other supersectors to lose jobs on the month included Financial Activities (down 6,728 or 4.5%), Manufacturing (down 3,689 or 1.8% with declines in all published component sectors), and Mining, Logging, and Construction (down 3,987 or 4.1%).
The Duluth-Superior MSA lost 215 jobs (0.2%) over the month in August. That was the lowest proportional growth of any MSA in the state, tied with Grand Forks-East Grand Forks. Five supersectors added jobs on the month and five lost jobs. Mining, Logging, and Construction was up 79 (0.8%), and Leisure and Hospitality added 87 jobs (0.6%). The largest real and proportional losses were in Government employment, which was down 270 (1.3%) with State Government down 227 jobs (3.8%). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was down 110 (0.4%) in large part from the loss of 105 jobs (0.7%) in Retail Trade.
Over the year employment in the Duluth-Superior MSA was off by 813 (0.6%). This was the lowest annual growth of any MSA in the state. Mining, Logging, and Construction was down by 1,167 (10.7%), and Government employers lost 2,030 jobs (9%) with Local Government off 1,860 jobs (12.4%).
Employment in the Rochester MSA was up by 1,040 or 0.8% in August. This was the highest proportional monthly growth in the state. Five supersectors gained jobs and five lost jobs, but the positive growth was generally higher than the losses, with Educational and Health Services added 945 jobs, or 1.6%, the largest real and proportional movement of any supersector in the area. The largest declines came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which lost 33 jobs or 0.6%.
Over the year Rochester area employers added 7,127 jobs or 5.7%. It was the largest proportional annual growth of any MSA in Minnesota. Growth was driven by Educational and Health Services, which was up by 6,875 or 12.6%, the largest real and proportional movement in either direction in the MSA. Government employers added 749 jobs or 5.8%. Notable job losses included a decline of 326 (5.7%) in Mining, Logging, and Construction and 125 (4.4%) in Financial Activities. Information employment was off 6.5% or 73 jobs.
The St. Cloud MSA added 193 jobs or 0.2% over the month in August, which was in line with statewide monthly growth. The largest proportional growth was in Leisure and Hospitality (up 1.2% or 99 jobs), and the largest real job growth was in Educational and Health Services (up 105 or 0.5%). The largest real and proportional job losses came in Manufacturing, which shed 109 jobs or 0.7%.
Over the year employers in the St. Cloud MSA added 1,775 jobs or 1.7%, slightly outpacing the state's 1.4% annual growth. The largest real and proportional growth came in Educational and Health Services, which added 2,109 jobs or 10%. Government employment was up 696 (5.2%) with growth at all three levels. Six supersectors in the area lost jobs on the year, with the steepest real and proportional decline coming in Leisure and Hospitality, which was off by 387 or 4.5%. Manufacturing employment was down by 384 jobs or 2.6%, and Financial Activities was down 199 or 3.7%.
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 398 jobs (0.7%) in August. Every published series added jobs on the month. Goods producers added 34 jobs (0.3%), and service providers added 364 jobs (0.8%). Private sector employment was up 327 (0.7%), and public sector employment was up 71 (0.8%).
Over the year the Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 1,762 jobs (3.1%), outpacing the statewide growth of 1.4%. Private sector employers added 748 jobs (1.5%), and public sector employers added 1,014 jobs (12%). Goods producers lost jobs (down 50 or 0.5%) but that was offset by the gain of 1,812 jobs (3.9%) among service providers.
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 81 jobs (0.1%) over the month of August. The growth was strongest in Financial Activities (up 233 or 2.2%) and Government (up 370 or 2%), with Local Government employers adding 464 jobs (4.3%). Job losses were highest in Professional and Business Services, which lost 329 jobs or 2.2%. Mining, Logging, and Construction was down 126 or 0.4%.
Over the year employers in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 3,066 jobs or 2%. Growth was strongest in Educational and Health Services, which was up 2,071 or 7.4%. Mining, Logging, and Construction employment was up 590 or 5.2%. Of the three supersectors to post negative annual growth, the largest real and proportional declines came in Professional and Business Services, which shed 983 jobs or 6.4%, with component sector Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services down 612 or 10.9%.
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA lost 98 jobs (0.2%) in August. This was the lowest proportional growth of any MSA in the state, tied with Duluth-Superior. Government employers lost 159 jobs (1.3%) in large part owing to the loss of 427 jobs (6.7%) at the Local Government level. Mining, Logging, and Construction employment was down 1.3% (46 jobs). The highest real and proportional growth came in Leisure and Hospitality, which added 54 jobs or 1%.
Over the year the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 886 jobs (1.7%). Educational and Health Services employment was up 394 (4.2%), Government was up 313 (2.6%), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up 202 (1.9%). The largest real and proportional decline came in Leisure and Hospitality, which was down 167 jobs or 3%.
