Minnesota Unemployment Hits Lowest Level Since 2007
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — State officials say Minnesota's unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level since 2007.
The June jobless rate was 4.5 percent, down about a half-point from a year ago. That's lower than the national rate for June of 6.1 percent.
State development officials say Minnesota gained 8,500 jobs in June, making a net gain of 10,700 this year. The state's overall job growth rate in the past 12 months is on par with the national average of about 2 percent.
Economic development Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben says the jobless rate hasn't been this low since February 2007. Sieben says jobless benefits claims dropped to their lowest level in almost 14 years.
The biggest job gains came in government, with about 4,000 jobs, and education and health services with about 3,500.
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