Minnesota adds 3,600 jobs in April
~Construction led all sectors annually, gaining 10.5 percent over the previous year~
ST. PAUL – Minnesota gained 3,600 seasonally adjusted jobs in April, according to figures released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Minnesota annual job gains were up 14,434 or 0.5 percent since last April, however, the first four months of 2019 have only netted 700 additional jobs.
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 3.3 percent, an increase of one tenth of a percent from last month. In so doing, the number of unemployed Minnesotan’s topped 100,000 for the first time since August 2017. The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.6 percent.
Over the year, construction had the largest annual gains with an increase of 11,511 jobs since last April. This rate of growth has only been achieved twice before with the most recent being April 2015.
“Many industries in Minnesota have seasonal employment – construction being one of the most prominent,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “Despite our state’s tight labor market, the addition of 3,600 jobs this month is a sign that Minnesota employers are eager to ramp up for a busy spring and summer.”
Six of eleven major industry sectors gained jobs over the month in April. Manufacturing led the gains (up 1,600) followed by trade, transportation and utilities (up 1,500), education and health care (up 1,100), government (up 700), professional services and business services (up 500) and other services (up 400). Leisure and hospitality had the largest losses over the month (down 1,700) followed by financial activities (down 300), construction (down 100) and information (down 100).
All five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) experienced over-the-year growth in April. St. Cloud MSA had the largest growth of 2.1 percent growth followed by Rochester MSA with 1.6 percent, Mankato MSA with 0.9 percent, Minneapolis-St. Paul with 0.3 percent and Duluth-Superior with 0.1 percent.
Use the link to see DEED’s alternative measures of unemployment.
DEED is the state’s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and its series, visit the DEED website or follow DEED on Twitter.
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Seasonally Adjusted
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Not Seasonally Adjusted
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Unemployment Rate
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April 2019
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March 2019
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April 2019
|
April 2018
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Minnesota
|
3.3
|
3.2
|
3.2
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3.0
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U.S.
|
3.6
|
3.8
|
3.3
|
3.7
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Employment
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April 2019
|
March 2019
|
April ’18 ’19 level of Change
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April ’18 ’19 % level of Change
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Minnesota
|
2,961,800
|
2,958,200
|
14,434
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0.5
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U.S.
|
151,095,000
|
150,832,000
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2,616,000
|
1.8
|
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MN OTY Job Change
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MN OTY Growth Rate
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US OTY Growth Rate
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Total nonfarm
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14,434
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0.5
|
1.8
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Total Private
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13,725
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0.6
|
1.9
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Logging and Mining
|
303
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4.9
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3.1
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Construction
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11,511
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10.5
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4.3
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Manufacturing
|
71
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0.0
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1.5
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Trade, Transport. And Utilities
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-1,520
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-0.3
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0.3
|
Information
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-1,702
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-3.5
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1.6
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Financial Activities
|
1,441
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0.8
|
1.2
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Prof. and Business Services
|
145
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0.0
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2.6
|
Ed. and Health Services
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-2,651
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-0.5
|
2.5
|
Leisure and Hospitality
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5,157
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2.0
|
2.8
|
Other Services
|
970
|
0.9
|
1.4
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Government
|
709
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0.2
|
1.0
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Metropolitan Statistical Area
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OTY Employment Change (#, NSA)
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OTY Employment Change (%, NSA)
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Minneapolis-St. Paul MN-WI MSA
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6,814
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0.3
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Duluth-Superior MN-WI MSA
|
140
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0.1
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Rochester MSA
|
1,967
|
1.6
|
St. Cloud MSA
|
2,339
|
2.1
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Mankato MSA
|
501
|
0.9
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The state also made a short video to coincide with the release of the unemployment numbers that can be viewed on the DEED's YouTube Page.
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Upon request, this information can be made available in alternate formats for people with disabilities by contacting the DEED Communications Office at 651-259-7161.
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