Rochester, Minnesota Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Rochester fell 0.2 percentage points in December 2011 to 4.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.8 percentage points lower than the Minnesota rate. The unemployment rate in Rochester peaked in July 2009 at 7.0% and is now 2.1 percentage points lower. You can also compare Rochester unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.5%	-0.2	-0.9
Minnesota	5.7%	-0.2	-1.2
Rochester	4.9%	-0.2	-1.0

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Rochester, Minnesota, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Rochester, Minnesota Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Rochester peaked in July 2009 at 7,345. There are now 2,148 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Rochester employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Rochester, Minnesota) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Rochester	5,197	-236	-1,086

Number of Unemployed Persons

Rochester, Minnesota Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Minnesota Unemployment Rate	Rochester Unemployment Rate	Rochester Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	5.7%	4.9%	5,197
November 2011	8.7%	5.9%	5.1%	5,433
October 2011	8.9%	6.5%	5.4%	5,787
September 2011	9.0%	6.9%	5.7%	6,102
August 2011	9.1%	7.2%	5.9%	6,325
July 2011	9.1%	7.2%	5.8%	6,266
June 2011	9.1%	6.8%	5.6%	6,016
May 2011	9.0%	6.6%	5.4%	5,829
April 2011	9.0%	6.5%	5.4%	5,721
March 2011	8.9%	6.6%	5.4%	5,733
February 2011	9.0%	6.7%	5.6%	5,899
January 2011	9.1%	6.7%	5.7%	6,041