Minnesota Job Growth Continues to Outpace U.S. Over the Year
September 17, 2026
Minnesota added 1,500 jobs in August and continued to significantly outpace the nation in job growth over the year, according to data released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Over the year, Minnesota added 45,041 jobs, a 1.5% increase, compared with national job growth of 0.3%. Minnesota's private sector also grew 1.5% over the year, compared with 0.5% nationally.
Minnesota's unemployment rate ticked up one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.4% in August, while the U.S. unemployment rate remained at 4.1%. Minnesota's labor force decreased by 2,521 people over the month, or 0.1%. The number of employed Minnesotans decreased by 3,840, while the number of unemployed increased by 1,319. The state's labor-force participation rate ticked down one-tenth of a percentage point to 66.8%. Nationally, the labor force increased by 683,000 people, or 0.4%, and the labor-force participation rate increased two-tenths of a percentage point to 61.6%.