Business Employment Dynamics in Minnesota — First Quarter 2024

From December 2023 to March 2024, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Minnesota were 147,189, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 145,765, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 1,424 jobs in the private sector during the first quarter of 2024. During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 692. (See chart 1.)

Line Chart of private-sector gross job gains and losses in Minnesota from March 2019–March 2024. Data are seasonally adjusted. An accessible version is available in the View Chart Data link below the chart.

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in Minnesota, March 2019–March 2024, seasonally adjusted
Period	Gross job gains	Gross job losses
Mar. 2019	131,327	130,994
Jun. 2019	147,126	136,040
Sep. 2019	131,707	142,978
Dec. 2019	145,260	139,169
Mar. 2020	125,695	143,073
Jun. 2020	99,967	416,621
Sep. 2020	205,310	122,278
Dec. 2020	158,528	156,929
Mar. 2021	220,169	114,687
Jun. 2021	144,663	132,231
Sep. 2021	154,668	159,912
Dec. 2021	175,185	125,677
Mar. 2022	150,834	132,074
Jun. 2022	158,205	158,589
Sep. 2022	162,045	146,717
Dec. 2022	145,489	143,374
Mar. 2023	144,982	120,964
Jun. 2023	152,628	139,937
Sep. 2023	83,684	108,074
Dec. 2023	172,857	173,549
Mar. 2024	147,189	145,765

The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses is the net change in employment. (See the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.)

Gross job gains

In the first quarter of 2024, gross job gains represented 5.8 percent of private-sector employment in Minnesota; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.7 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) Gross job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the addition of new jobs at opening establishments. In Minnesota, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 119,177 in the first quarter of 2024, a decrease of 27,875 jobs compared to the previous quarter. (See table 1.) Opening establishments accounted for 28,012 jobs gained in the first quarter of 2024, an increase of 2,207 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 2. Private-sector gross job gains as a percent of employment, United States and Minnesota, March 2019–March 2024, seasonally adjusted
Period	Minnesota	United States
Mar. 2019	5.2	5.9
Jun. 2019	5.9	6.1
Sep. 2019	5.3	5.9
Dec. 2019	5.8	6.2
Mar. 2020	5.0	5.5
Jun. 2020	4.2	4.8
Sep. 2020	9.0	9.5
Dec. 2020	6.8	7.4
Mar. 2021	9.4	6.9
Jun. 2021	6.1	6.8
Sep. 2021	6.5	7.3
Dec. 2021	7.3	7.7
Mar. 2022	6.2	6.7
Jun. 2022	6.4	6.5
Sep. 2022	6.5	6.9
Dec. 2022	5.8	6.3
Mar. 2023	5.8	6.3
Jun. 2023	6.0	6.2
Sep. 2023	3.3	5.9
Dec. 2023	6.9	6.0
Mar. 2024	5.8	5.7

Gross job losses

In the first quarter of 2024, gross job losses represented 5.7 percent of private-sector employment in Minnesota; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.4 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In Minnesota, contracting establishments lost 106,831 jobs in the first quarter of 2024, a decrease of 30,340 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 38,934 jobs, an increase of 2,556 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 3. Private-sector gross job losses as a percent of employment, United States and Minnesota, March 2019–March 2024, seasonally adjusted
Period	Minnesota	United States
Mar. 2019	5.2	5.6
Jun. 2019	5.5	5.9
Sep. 2019	5.7	5.8
Dec. 2019	5.6	5.5
Mar. 2020	5.7	6.3
Jun. 2020	17.6	16.8
Sep. 2020	5.4	5.9
Dec. 2020	6.8	5.7
Mar. 2021	4.9	5.5
Jun. 2021	5.6	5.9
Sep. 2021	6.7	6.1
Dec. 2021	5.2	5.4
Mar. 2022	5.4	5.5
Jun. 2022	6.4	6.2
Sep. 2022	5.9	5.9
Dec. 2022	5.8	5.9
Mar. 2023	4.8	5.5
Jun. 2023	5.5	5.9
Sep. 2023	4.3	6.0
Dec. 2023	6.9	5.7
Mar. 2024	5.7	5.4

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 4 of the 11 industry sectors in Minnesota in the first quarter of 2024. Education and health services had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 4,227 jobs. This was the result of 25,508 gross job gains and 21,281 gross job losses. Retail trade showed the second-largest net gain (3,067 jobs), followed by leisure and hospitality (2,902 jobs). Transportation and warehousing showed a net loss of 2,601 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state. Minnesota’s manufacturing industry sector had a net loss of 2,564 jobs, followed by professional and business services with a net loss of 2,361.

For more information

The BED data series include gross job gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size class. BED data for the states have been included in table 2 of this release. Additional information is available online at the Business Employment Dynamics Home.

The Business Employment Dynamics for Second Quarter 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.

Revisions to Business Employment Dynamics (BED) Data

Data in this release contain annual revisions in accordance with standard procedures. These revisions include the previous four quarters of not seasonally adjusted data and five years of seasonally adjusted data.

Technical Note

The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records.

More information on formal definitions of the data used in this release, along with coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Minnesota, seasonally adjusted
Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
Category	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	144,982	152,628	83,684	172,857	147,189	5.8	6.0	3.3	6.9	5.8
At expanding establishments	117,013	126,366	56,335	147,052	119,177	4.7	5.0	2.2	5.9	4.7
At opening establishments	27,969	26,262	27,349	25,805	28,012	1.1	1.0	1.1	1.0	1.1
Gross job losses	120,964	139,937	108,074	173,549	145,765	4.8	5.5	4.3	6.9	5.7
At contracting establishments	103,274	111,222	89,784	137,171	106,831	4.1	4.4	3.6	5.5	4.2
At closing establishments	17,690	28,715	18,290	36,378	38,934	0.7	1.1	0.7	1.4	1.5
Net employment change (2)	24,018	12,691	-24,390	-692	1,424	1.0	0.5	-1.0	0.0	0.1
Construction
Gross job gains	15,801	16,659	6,825	19,927	15,940	11.8	12.1	5.1	14.9	11.6
At expanding establishments	12,183	14,122	4,567	17,294	13,048	9.1	10.3	3.4	12.9	9.5
At opening establishments	3,618	2,537	2,258	2,633	2,892	2.7	1.8	1.7	2.0	2.1
Gross job losses	12,013	14,063	12,542	15,995	14,343	8.9	10.2	9.3	11.9	10.4
At contracting establishments	10,644	11,112	10,783	13,007	10,811	7.9	8.1	8.0	9.7	7.8
At closing establishments	1,369	2,951	1,759	2,988	3,532	1.0	2.1	1.3	2.2	2.6
Net employment change (2)	3,788	2,596	-5,717	3,932	1,597	2.9	1.9	-4.2	3.0	1.2
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	10,666	10,266	6,129	12,322	8,528	3.3	3.2	1.9	3.8	2.7
At expanding establishments	9,788	9,682	5,499	11,394	7,673	3.0	3.0	1.7	3.5	2.4
At opening establishments	878	584	630	928	855	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.3
Gross job losses	9,785	10,980	7,583	13,084	11,092	3.0	3.4	2.3	4.0	3.4
At contracting establishments	8,867	10,037	5,520	11,824	9,114	2.7	3.1	1.7	3.6	2.8
At closing establishments	918	943	2,063	1,260	1,978	0.3	0.3	0.6	0.4	0.6
Net employment change (2)	881	-714	-1,454	-762	-2,564	0.3	-0.2	-0.4	-0.2	-0.7
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	5,591	5,740	2,583	7,323	6,346	4.2	4.3	2.0	5.5	4.8
At expanding establishments	4,169	4,664	1,438	6,349	5,282	3.1	3.5	1.1	4.8	4.0
At opening establishments	1,422	1,076	1,145	974	1,064	1.1	0.8	0.9	0.7	0.8
Gross job losses	4,832	5,549	3,308	6,844	6,358	3.6	4.2	2.5	5.1	4.8
At contracting establishments	3,997	4,496	2,608	5,095	4,465	3.0	3.4	2.0	3.8	3.4
At closing establishments	835	1,053	700	1,749	1,893	0.6	0.8	0.5	1.3	1.4
Net employment change (2)	759	191	-725	479	-12	0.6	0.1	-0.5	0.4	0.0
Retail trade
Gross job gains	16,754	16,900	10,849	15,411	17,950	6.0	5.9	3.8	5.5	6.3
At expanding establishments	14,797	14,893	9,160	13,732	15,069	5.3	5.2	3.2	4.9	5.3
At opening establishments	1,957	2,007	1,689	1,679	2,881	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	1.0
Gross job losses	13,669	14,853	15,052	18,676	14,883	4.8	5.2	5.3	6.7	5.2
At contracting establishments	12,134	12,825	13,630	15,968	11,992	4.3	4.5	4.8	5.7	4.2
At closing establishments	1,535	2,028	1,422	2,708	2,891	0.5	0.7	0.5	1.0	1.0
Net employment change (2)	3,085	2,047	-4,203	-3,265	3,067	1.2	0.7	-1.5	-1.2	1.1
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	5,446	5,738	4,418	9,754	5,408	5.5	5.9	4.6	9.8	5.5
At expanding establishments	4,621	4,752	3,881	8,279	4,550	4.7	4.9	4.0	8.3	4.6
At opening establishments	825	986	537	1,475	858	0.8	1.0	0.6	1.5	0.9
Gross job losses	5,976	5,619	4,615	5,934	8,009	6.2	5.8	4.7	5.9	8.1
At contracting establishments	5,615	4,951	4,087	4,997	6,762	5.8	5.1	4.2	5.0	6.8
At closing establishments	361	668	528	937	1,247	0.4	0.7	0.5	0.9	1.3
Net employment change (2)	-530	119	-197	3,820	-2,601	-0.7	0.1	-0.1	3.9	-2.6
Information
Gross job gains	1,870	1,967	1,070	2,391	1,686	4.1	4.4	2.4	5.5	3.8
At expanding establishments	1,235	1,249	527	1,783	1,189	2.7	2.8	1.2	4.1	2.7
At opening establishments	635	718	543	608	497	1.4	1.6	1.2	1.4	1.1
Gross job losses	2,058	2,276	1,780	3,072	2,369	4.6	5.0	4.0	7.0	5.4
At contracting establishments	1,707	1,631	1,200	2,136	1,803	3.8	3.6	2.7	4.9	4.1
At closing establishments	351	645	580	936	566	0.8	1.4	1.3	2.1	1.3
Net employment change (2)	-188	-309	-710	-681	-683	-0.5	-0.6	-1.6	-1.5	-1.6
Financial activities
Gross job gains	5,664	8,255	4,402	7,798	5,651	3.2	4.7	2.5	4.5	3.2
At expanding establishments	4,402	6,738	2,936	6,526	4,207	2.5	3.8	1.7	3.8	2.4
At opening establishments	1,262	1,517	1,466	1,272	1,444	0.7	0.9	0.8	0.7	0.8
Gross job losses	5,818	7,549	6,907	8,901	6,879	3.3	4.3	4.0	5.1	3.9
At contracting establishments	4,767	5,491	5,744	6,735	4,908	2.7	3.1	3.3	3.9	2.8
At closing establishments	1,051	2,058	1,163	2,166	1,971	0.6	1.2	0.7	1.2	1.1
Net employment change (2)	-154	706	-2,505	-1,103	-1,228	-0.1	0.4	-1.5	-0.6	-0.7
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	22,103	23,490	10,327	24,536	20,127	5.7	6.0	2.7	6.5	5.4
At expanding establishments	16,535	18,762	4,910	20,752	15,651	4.3	4.8	1.3	5.5	4.2
At opening establishments	5,568	4,728	5,417	3,784	4,476	1.4	1.2	1.4	1.0	1.2
Gross job losses	19,787	24,482	18,480	33,723	22,488	5.1	6.3	4.8	8.9	6.1
At contracting establishments	16,443	18,877	15,110	26,216	15,898	4.2	4.9	3.9	6.9	4.3
At closing establishments	3,344	5,605	3,370	7,507	6,590	0.9	1.4	0.9	2.0	1.8
Net employment change (2)	2,316	-992	-8,153	-9,187	-2,361	0.6	-0.3	-2.1	-2.4	-0.7
Education and health services
Gross job gains	23,000	23,892	15,656	29,011	25,508	4.3	4.4	2.9	5.3	4.6
At expanding establishments	19,627	20,164	9,830	24,209	20,915	3.7	3.7	1.8	4.4	3.8
At opening establishments	3,373	3,728	5,826	4,802	4,593	0.6	0.7	1.1	0.9	0.8
Gross job losses	16,060	19,398	9,693	25,895	21,281	3.0	3.6	1.8	4.7	3.9
At contracting establishments	13,304	14,550	7,937	18,586	14,717	2.5	2.7	1.5	3.4	2.7
At closing establishments	2,756	4,848	1,756	7,309	6,564	0.5	0.9	0.3	1.3	1.2
Net employment change (2)	6,940	4,494	5,963	3,116	4,227	1.3	0.8	1.1	0.6	0.7
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	27,611	28,710	14,958	32,267	29,690	10.5	10.7	5.6	12.1	11.1
At expanding establishments	21,297	22,460	9,613	26,413	23,465	8.1	8.4	3.6	9.9	8.8
At opening establishments	6,314	6,250	5,345	5,854	6,225	2.4	2.3	2.0	2.2	2.3
Gross job losses	22,053	25,657	21,065	29,659	26,788	8.4	9.5	7.9	11.1	10.0
At contracting establishments	18,518	20,483	17,703	23,542	18,670	7.1	7.6	6.6	8.8	7.0
At closing establishments	3,535	5,174	3,362	6,117	8,118	1.3	1.9	1.3	2.3	3.0
Net employment change (2)	5,558	3,053	-6,107	2,608	2,902	2.1	1.2	-2.3	1.0	1.1
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	7,064	7,267	3,724	7,689	7,008	8.5	8.6	4.3	9.0	8.2
At expanding establishments	5,596	5,752	1,984	6,444	5,284	6.7	6.8	2.3	7.5	6.2
At opening establishments	1,468	1,515	1,740	1,245	1,724	1.8	1.8	2.0	1.5	2.0
Gross job losses	5,430	5,757	4,511	7,928	7,341	6.5	6.7	5.3	9.2	8.6
At contracting establishments	4,114	4,200	3,516	5,934	4,607	4.9	4.9	4.1	6.9	5.4
At closing establishments	1,316	1,557	995	1,994	2,734	1.6	1.8	1.2	2.3	3.2
Net employment change (2)	1,634	1,510	-787	-239	-333	2.0	1.9	-1.0	-0.2	-0.4
Footnotes: (1) Includes unclassified sector not shown separately. (2) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. See the Technical Note for further information. (3) Except public administration.

Table 2. Private-sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted
Category	Gross job gains as a percent of employment (3 months ended)					Gross job losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
Category	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024
United States(1)	6.3	6.2	5.9	6.0	5.7	5.5	5.9	6.0	5.7	5.4
Alabama	6.5	6.0	6.0	6.2	5.7	5.6	5.7	6.0	5.7	5.5
Alaska	10.5	11.0	8.5	10.2	10.5	8.6	8.9	10.5	9.9	8.6
Arizona	6.0	7.0	6.8	6.5	8.4	5.6	6.3	5.7	6.6	6.4
Arkansas	5.8	5.9	5.6	6.2	5.6	5.1	6.0	5.8	5.0	5.2
California	6.3	6.8	6.4	6.4	5.8	6.6	6.4	6.5	6.4	5.6
Colorado	7.2	7.3	5.4	8.2	6.4	6.5	6.5	6.1	7.6	7.7
Connecticut	6.2	6.4	5.8	5.6	5.6	5.1	5.7	6.2	5.7	5.2
Delaware	6.7	6.4	6.0	6.1	6.0	5.2	5.8	6.5	5.8	5.1
District of Columbia	6.0	5.4	5.4	5.2	5.1	4.9	5.3	5.4	5.6	4.9
Florida	6.3	6.8	6.5	6.1	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.9	5.4
Georgia	6.5	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.0	6.0	6.4	6.1	5.7	5.7
Hawaii	5.6	5.7	5.3	6.1	5.4	5.1	5.3	6.8	5.0	5.1
Idaho	7.9	7.8	7.2	8.5	7.9	7.3	7.4	7.9	5.8	8.3
Illinois	5.8	5.4	4.8	5.0	5.1	4.8	5.2	5.3	5.1	4.8
Indiana	5.6	5.6	5.7	5.5	5.3	5.1	5.8	5.7	5.1	5.0
Iowa	6.1	6.0	5.6	6.1	6.1	5.4	5.9	5.8	5.7	5.6
Kansas	6.1	6.1	5.7	5.8	5.7	5.4	6.0	6.0	5.3	5.6
Kentucky	6.1	5.6	5.7	5.7	5.7	4.9	5.9	5.6	5.2	5.0
Louisiana	6.5	6.0	6.2	6.3	6.2	5.5	6.5	6.0	5.8	5.7
Maine	7.8	7.6	7.0	7.4	7.2	6.3	7.6	7.8	7.0	6.1
Maryland	7.2	6.7	6.3	6.2	5.8	6.0	6.6	6.4	5.8	5.7
Massachusetts	5.8	5.9	5.4	5.5	5.2	4.9	5.6	5.9	5.5	5.1
Michigan	5.8	5.9	5.2	5.5	5.4	5.0	5.3	5.9	5.5	5.2
Minnesota	5.8	6.0	3.3	6.9	5.8	4.8	5.5	4.3	6.9	5.7
Mississippi	6.5	6.4	6.2	6.1	5.7	6.1	6.5	6.2	5.7	6.1
Missouri	6.5	5.8	5.6	6.0	5.7	5.1	5.9	5.8	5.6	5.3
Montana	8.7	7.8	7.7	8.8	8.1	7.2	8.4	8.4	7.2	7.5
Nebraska	6.5	6.2	6.0	5.9	5.8	5.2	5.7	5.9	5.7	5.1
Nevada	6.2	6.5	6.5	6.7	5.9	5.8	5.9	5.6	5.4	6.2
New Hampshire	7.0	6.7	5.8	6.2	6.5	5.9	6.3	6.7	5.9	5.8
New Jersey	6.3	6.4	6.0	5.9	5.5	5.8	6.0	6.0	5.8	5.4
New Mexico	7.0	6.6	6.4	6.9	6.0	5.8	6.3	6.8	5.8	6.0
New York	6.5	6.2	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.2	5.8	6.0	5.6	5.0
North Carolina	6.6	6.1	5.7	6.3	5.4	5.3	5.7	6.1	4.9	5.5
North Dakota	7.6	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.9	5.7	6.7	6.6	6.3	6.1
Ohio	6.0	5.6	5.2	5.4	5.5	4.8	5.6	5.6	5.2	4.8
Oklahoma	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.1	5.6	5.4	6.1	6.0	5.8	5.2
Oregon	7.6	6.4	6.1	6.2	6.4	5.9	6.6	6.7	6.2	6.1
Pennsylvania	5.5	5.2	5.2	5.2	5.1	4.7	5.5	5.1	4.8	4.6
Rhode Island	7.4	6.7	6.4	6.8	6.9	5.9	6.8	6.7	6.3	5.7
South Carolina	6.8	6.4	6.6	6.2	6.4	5.9	6.6	5.7	5.3	6.3
South Dakota	7.3	6.7	6.3	6.6	6.3	5.9	6.0	6.3	5.8	5.8
Tennessee	5.9	5.8	5.6	6.2	5.5	5.0	5.5	5.7	5.5	4.9
Texas	6.0	5.8	5.7	5.7	5.4	5.1	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.1
Utah	7.0	6.9	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.3	6.4	6.6	6.5	6.0
Vermont	8.4	7.4	6.4	7.3	7.2	6.0	7.5	7.9	6.6	6.3
Virginia	6.2	6.1	5.9	5.9	5.7	5.2	5.9	6.0	5.5	5.2
Washington	6.6	6.1	5.8	6.0	5.7	6.3	5.7	6.0	5.4	5.3
West Virginia	7.3	6.1	6.5	6.5	6.9	5.5	6.4	6.6	5.8	5.7
Wisconsin	6.1	5.6	5.2	5.5	5.5	4.8	5.8	5.8	5.2	4.8
Wyoming	9.0	8.4	8.3	8.9	8.4	7.8	8.7	8.2	8.4	8.3
Puerto Rico	5.1	5.9	5.7	4.9	5.4	5.8	5.0	5.3	4.8	4.6
Virgin Islands	7.9	7.5	8.2	6.0	5.6	7.4	6.5	6.8	5.9	4.5
Footnotes (1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. The sum of the states will not necessarily add to the U.S. total because of the independent seasonal adjustment of each state.

Last Modified Date: Thursday, November 07, 2024

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