Minnesota’s Unemployment Nearly Steady for 7th Month

St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - Minnesota’s unemployment rate was nearly steady last month. The latest jobs data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development shows the jobless rate for September was 3.7-percent. That is down a tenth of a point from August, but the rate has been at either 3.7 or 3.8-percent since March. A year ago, Minnesota seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was four-percent

Minnesota’s economy had a net gain of about 6400 jobs in September, with the professional and business services sector responsible for over half of that total. Over the past 12 months, the state has seen a net gain of just over 41,200 jobs for job growth rate of 1.4-percent, which is slightly above the national average.

"Minnesota's job expansion is now eight years strong, with the state adding more than 337,000 jobs since September 2009," said DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy. "During that period, the overall unemployment rate fell from 7.9 percent to the current low of 3.7 percent. Minnesota's economy is headed in the right direction."

Job growth in the Twin Cities area continued to account for nearly all of the job growth in Minnesota. The latest figures from the state show the Rochester area’s year-over-year job growth rate was under one-percent, which translates into a net gain of only about 1100 jobs.

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