Minnesota's Jobless Rate Drops To 5.3 Percent; 11K+ Jobs Lost
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – Minnesota released its April unemployment report on Thursday and while the state's jobless rate dropped to a seasonably adjusted 5.3 percent, employers eliminated more than 11,000 jobs last month.
The figures released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development show that the state's jobless rate fell to its lowest point since May of 2008. It's also below the national rate of 7.5 percent.
Officials said employers eliminated 11,400 jobs in April, but the state overall has gained more than 24,000 jobs over the past year. The state's job growth rate of one percent is slightly below the national mark of 1.6 percent during that time.
State officials said losses occurred most heavily in transportation and utilities, government and leisure and hospitality. The greatest gains came in education and health services and professional and business services.
