ST. PAUL – Minnesota’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held at 2.8% in December, according to data released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), marking the fourth straight month with the same unemployment rate.
Minnesota’s unemployment rate remains the lowest since May 1999 and is just above the all-time low of 2.5% held in January and February 1999.
The state gained 500 jobs in December on a seasonally adjusted basis. November’s previously announced loss of 800 jobs was revised downward to 1,000 jobs lost. Over the year, Minnesota has added 31,441 jobs for a 1.1% increase over last December. Private sector gains stand at 28,960 or a 1.2% increase. Nationally, the total non-farm and private sector growth rates were 1.8% and 2.0% respectively.
Seven of the eleven major sectors gained jobs in December while four lost jobs. Leisure and hospitality once again led the gains with 2,100 more jobs. Other sectors with gains were, construction up (1,100), manufacturing (up 500), other services (up 500), information (up 300), trade, transportation and utilities (up 200), and logging and mining (up 100).
Sectors measuring losses were: professional and business services (down 2,600), financial activities (down 900), education and health care services (down 700) and government (down 100).
Mankato Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) once again had the highest over-the-year unadjusted growth in employment at 4.0%. Following Mankato MSA was Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA with 1.6% growth, Duluth-Superior MSA with 1.1% growth and St. Cloud MSA with 0.9% growth. Rochester MSA declined 0.2% since last December.
To view DEED’s alternative measures of unemployment, visit https://mn.gov/deed/data/current-econ-highlights/alternative-unemployment.jsp.
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 https://mn.gov/deed/ or follow DEED on Twitter.