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Minnesota gains 7,900 jobs in December; unemployment rate drops to 5.7%

By Joe Kimball | 01/19/12

Minnesota gained 7,900 jobs in December, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the state has dropped to 5.7 percent, state officials said today.

The U.S. unemployment rate in December was 8.5 percent.

The report from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development notes that the state unemployment rated has fallen 1.5 percentage points since August.

"The Minnesota unemployment rate continues to move in the right direction, reaching its lowest level since September 2008," said DEED Commissioner Mark Phillips. "The labor market is recovering at a slow but steady pace."

For the month of December, categories showing an increase in jobs were:

  • Professional and business services (3,200 new jobs)
  • Government (2,700)
  • Education and health care (1,900)
  • Manufacturing (1,700)
  • Trade, transportation and utilities (1,200)
  • Financial activities (400)
  • Information (100)

Sectors losing jobs in December:

  • Construction (down 1,700)
  • Leisure and hospitality (1,100)
  • Other services (400)
  • Logging and mining (100).

Comments (2)

Submitted by Eric Ferguson on January 19, 2012 - 4:36pm.

Lowest level since September 2008, why does that date seem significant? Oh right, that's when Obama's regulations and health insurance and fake birth certificate destroyed the banking system.

Submitted by Michael Zalar on January 21, 2012 - 9:07pm.

+blinks+
*shakes head*

Obama you say? Who was not elected until NOVEMBER of 2008 and did not take office until JANUARY of 2009?
boy does he have amazing powers or what...