Rochester Jobless Rate Rises Despite Record Employment

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The unemployment rate for the Rochester area moved higher last month even though the local economy posted new records for the number of jobs and the number of workers in the labor force.

A monthly update from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development shows total employment in Olmsted County hit an all-time high of just over 93,900 in June. That total was 600 higher than the previous record, which was set in May.

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At the same time, the size of the labor force in the Rochester area jumped by nearly 1,000 people. The state agency put it at a new record high of just under 96,800 last month.

The unemployment rate for Olmsted County for the month of June was 3%. That was up four-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month and two-tenths of a percentage point compared to June of last year. Seasonal factors often contribute to an uptick in the jobless rate this time of year, but the last time the unemployment rate for the month of June was 3% or higher was in 2021 during the COVID pandemic.

Across the region, every county in southeastern Minnesota recorded increases in their unemployment rates last month. Olmsted County's jobless rate remained the lowest in the region, while Freeborn County had the highest rate at 4.1%. Freeborn County also recorded the largest increase at one percentage point.