(KNSI) – Minnesota gained 4,500 jobs in April but the jobless rate remains stuck at 2.8%.
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development says the labor force grew by 3,634 people. It is still below February 2020 levels but Minnesota’s participation rate, the percentage of people employed or actively looking for work compared to the overall population, remains well above the national average.
Over the past year Minnesota gained 43,725 jobs, an increase of 1.5%. We are gaining jobs at a slower rate than the country as a whole.
The rate of job gains is beginning to slow locally. Over the past 12 months, the St. Cloud metro area saw employment grow by 1.7%, or 1,814 hires. That’s significantly slower than Mankato and Rochester, which were likely aided by an earlier spring and seasonal hiring in industries like agriculture and hospitality.
There might be a catchup that occurs in the coming months for Stearns and Benton Counties.
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