State gains 7,200 jobs in June; jobless rate unchanged

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Minnesota employers added 7,200 jobs in June, according to figures released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

The state unemployment rate was a seasonally adjusted 5.6 percent for the third straight month, remaining well below the U.S. unemployment rate of 8.2 percent in June.

Last month's gains ended a streak of three consecutive months of job losses in the state, including May, which was revised from 900 jobs lost to 4,700 jobs lost. Over the past year, however, the state has gained 35,000 jobs, a growth rate of 1.3 percent, which matches the U.S. rate during that period.

"Minnesota continues to produce jobs at a steady pace, despite a labor market that has been somewhat uneven in recent months," said DEED Commissioner Mark Phillips. "The state is outperforming the country in several key sectors, including construction, manufacturing and financial activities."

Job gains last month were led by professional and business services, which added 5,100 positions. Other job gains occurred in government (up 4,400), manufacturing (up 1,100), information (up 1,100), financial activities (up 400) and other services (up 100). Logging and mining was unchanged.

Sectors that lost jobs in June were leisure and hospitality (down 2,300), education and health services (down 1,300), construction (down 1,100), and trade, transportation and utilities (down 300).

Over the past year, job gains have occurred in professional and business services (up 17,500), education and health services (up 11,000), manufacturing (up 7,200), construction (up 4,000), financial activities (up 3,100), other services (up 900), information (up 400), and logging and mining (up 200).

Job losses occurred over the past year in leisure and hospitality (down 7,800), government (down 1,000), and trade, transportation and utilities (down 500).

In the state Metropolitan Statistical Areas, job gains occurred in the past 12 months in the Mankato MSA (up 3.1 percent), St. Cloud MSA (up 2.5 percent), Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA (up 1.5 percent) and Rochester MSA (up 0.1 percent). Job losses occurred in the Duluth-Superior MSA (down 1.8 percent).

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