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Minnesota Hits 14 Straight Months of Job Growth

State is out-pacing national growth, while unemployment rate remains low

St. Paul - Minnesota gained 6,800 jobs in November, up 0.2% from October on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to numbers released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The private sector gained 3,500 jobs in November, up 0.1%, while Government gained 3,300 jobs over the month. The U.S. gained 263,000 jobs in November, up 0.2% from October.

Minnesota's unemployment rate inched up two-tenths of a point to 2.3% in November, but remains very low by historical standards. The national unemployment rate remained steady at 3.7% from October to November. Over the month, Minnesota's labor force participation rate remained steady at 67.9% (October's rate was revised down a tenth of a point from 68%) and the national rate went down one-tenth of a point to 62.1%.

"Minnesota's economy remains strong and has grown faster than most states in 2022," said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. "Fourteen straight months of job growth is a good sign as we head into the new year. If you're looking for good employment with strong wages, Minnesota is a great place to be."

Comparing Minnesota to the U.S. year-to-date, Minnesota employment has grown 3.2% since January 2022 while the U.S. has grown 2.6%. Over the last three months, September to November, Minnesota has grown 0.8% while the U.S. has grown 0.3%. November is Minnesota's 14th consecutive month of job growth.

There are differences in the unemployment rates between racial and ethnic groups. The unemployment rate went up slightly for Hispanic workers to 3.9% but down significantly for Black workers to 4.3%, based on 12-month moving averages.

Racial and Ethnic Unemployment Rates – 12-Month Moving Averages

Month/Year Total Black Hispanic White

November-2022 2.6% 4.3% 3.9% 2.1%

October-2022 2.6% 5.0% 3.8% 2.1%

November-2021 3.9% 5.3% 4.3% 3.7%

February-2020 3.1% 4.5% 5.0% 3.0%

Source: Current Population Survey Demecon, 12-month moving averages. This data is volatile because of the small sample sizes. Monthly data is currently only available for the listed racial and ethnic groups.

White Minnesotans continue to have lower labor force participation than Black and Hispanic Minnesotans, based on Current Population Survey 12-month moving averages.

Racial and Ethnic Labor Force Participation Rates – 12-Month Moving Averages

Month/Year Total Black Hispanic White

November-2022 68.3% 69.8% 75.2% 68.0%

October-2022 68.4% 69.1% 77.2% 68.1%

November-2021 67.6% 66.6% 77.8% 68.0%

February-2020 70.0% 71.3% 76.3% 69.9%

Minnesota's year-to-date labor force is still growing faster than the U.S., up 0.8% compared to 0.5% nationwide. Despite plentiful job opportunities, November does mark five consecutive months of declining labor force numbers in Minnesota, now down 20,980 people since the peak this year in June.

Wages grew faster in Minnesota than nationally, although still slower than inflation. Average hourly wages for all private sector workers in Minnesota rose 3 cents to $35.34 in November over the month and rose $1.90, up 5.7%, over the year. Nationally, private sector wages fell 3 cents over the month to $32.74; they rose 5.3% over the year. The CPI inflation index for all urban consumers rose 7.1% over the year, the smallest 12-month increase since the period ending December 2021.

Over the month, these are the notable supersectors that gained or lost jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis:

• Gains were in Government, up 3,300 jobs or 0.8%, Manufacturing, up 1,800 jobs or 0.5%, Professional & Business Services, up 1,500 jobs or 0.4%, Education & Health Services, up 1,400 jobs or 0.3%, Trade, Transportation & Utilities, up 800 jobs or 0.2%, Leisure & Hospitality, up 700 jobs or 0.3% and Mining & Logging, up 100 jobs or 1.6%.

• Both Financial Activities and Information were flat over the month.

• Construction lost 2,300 jobs, down 1.8% and Other Services lost 500 jobs down 0.5% over the month.

Over the year (OTY), Minnesota gained 99,983 payroll jobs, up 3.5%. The private sector gained 89,891 jobs, up 3.6% over the year. All supersectors posted positive OTY employment growth with the exception of Mining & Logging and Construction.

• Leisure & Hospitality continued to post the highest OTY growth of all the supersectors, up 7.4% with the addition of 17,253 jobs. Arts, Entertainment & Recreation was up 24.4% OTY, while Accommodations & Food Service was up 4.3%.

• Professional & Business Services grew 6.1% OTY (22,917 jobs). Administrative and Support & Waste Management Services led growth, up 9.2% (12,006 jobs). Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services grew 5.7% (9,070 jobs). Management of Companies gained 1,841 jobs OTY, up 2.1%.

• Manufacturing posted 15,051 additional jobs, up 4.7% OTY. All published sectors showed growth OTY, though the Durable Goods sector drove the growth, adding 10,500 jobs, or 5.2%. Manufacturing employment growth continued to be stronger than the nation, which was at 3.3% OTY.

• Education and Health Services grew 4% with the addition of 21,686 jobs OTY. Both Educational Services and Health Care & Social Assistance grew 4% over the year. Nursing & Residential Care Facilities grew 2%, well up from last month and the third month in a row to show OTY growth after losing jobs OTY since April 2020.

• Mining & Logging lost 193 jobs, down 2.9%, while Construction lost 596 jobs, down 0.5%. Losses in Construction were in both Heavy & Civil, down 3.3%, and Specialty Trade Contractors, down 0.2% over the year.

U.S. employment grew 3.2% OTY with the private sector up 3.5% in November. All supersectors showed gains OTY. Minnesota's OTY job growth in November outperformed that of the nation in total payroll employment and private sector employment, as well as in six supersectors: Manufacturing, Trade, Transportation & Utilities, Professional & Business Services, Education & Health Services, Leisure & Hospitality and Government.

Minnesota and U.S. Employment and Unemployment – November 2022

Seasonally Adjusted Not Seasonally Adjusted

Unemployment Rate November 2022 October 2022 November 2022 November 2021

Minnesota 2.3% 2.1% 2.0% 2.2%

U.S. 3.7% 3.7% 3.4% 3.9%

Non-Farm Jobs November 2022 October 2022 Nov. '21- Nov. '22 Level Change Nov. '21- Nov. '22 % Change

Minnesota 2,961,000 2,954,200 99,983 3.5%

U.S. 153,548,000 153,285,000 4,780,000 3.2%

Minnesota and U.S. Over-the-Year (OTY) Employment Change, Not Seasonally Adjusted: November 2021 – November 2022

MN OTY Job Change MN OTY Growth Rate (%) US OTY Growth Rate (%)

Total 99,983 3.5 3.2

Private 89,891 3.6 3.5

Mining & Logging -193 -2.9 9.2

Construction -596 -0.5 3.2

Manufacturing 15,051 4.7 3.3

Trade, Transport, & Utilities 11,381 2.2 1.9

Information 1,036 2.4 5.6

Financial Activities 520 0.3 1.7

Prof. & Business Services 22,917 6.1 3.2

Ed. & Health Services 21,686 4.0 3.9

Leisure & Hospitality 17,253 7.4 7.2

Other Services 836 0.8 3.4

Government 10,092 2.5 1.4

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) Over-the-Year (OTY) Employment Change, Not Seasonally Adjusted: November 2021 – November 2022

(October 2021 – October 2022 for border state MSAs due to data delay from MSAs outside Minnesota.)

Metropolitan Statistical Area OTY Employment Change (#, NSA) OTY Employment Change (%, NSA)

Minneapolis-St. Paul MN-WI MSA 78,620 4.0

Duluth-Superior MN-WI MSA 3,141 2.4

Rochester MSA 4,135 3.4

St. Cloud MSA 2,517 2.3

Mankato MSA 1,501 2.7

Fargo-Moorhead ND-MN MSA (October) 1,400 1.0

Grand Forks-East Grand Forks ND-MN MSA (October) 400 0.8

La Crosse-Onalaska WI-MN (October) 700 0.9

Visit the DEED website to see DEED's alternative measures of unemployment. You can also find monthly jobs numbers and unemployment data on DEED's website. In addition, see related articles about job growth and labor market changes in the latest issue of Minnesota Employment Trends. Access resources to help Minnesotans prepare for and find employment now at CareerForceMN.com/GoodJobsNow.

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 services, visit the DEED website, the JoinUsMn.com website, or follow us on Twitter.

 

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