Rochester Outpaces State in Job Growth – Twin Cities Falters

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Rochester area job market remains the strongest in the state while the Twin Cities area market continues to decline.

The latest jobs data published by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development shows the Rochester Metropolitan area has added more than 7700 jobs over the past year. That works out to an annualized job growth rate of 6.1%.

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The second strongest job market in Minnesota was found in Mankato, where the economy has added almost 1600 jobs over the past 12 months for a job growth rate of 2.7%. St. Cloud saw its overall employment rise by about 700 jobs, which equates to a job growth rate of less than 1%.

The report also shows the Twin Cities area, which accounts for the lion's share of jobs in the state, continued to shed jobs in November. The data indicates the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area has lost nearly 14,000 jobs since November of last year for a negative growth rate of .7%.

Statewide, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development reported the economy added 2500 jobs last month, while the labor force grew by more than 4600 workers. That resulted in a one-tenth of a percentage point increase in the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, which was reported at 3.5%.

Year-over-year, Minnesota has gained more than 33,400 jobs for a job growth rate of 1.1% with the data showing all of that growth has occurred outside the Twin Cities.