Rochester, Minnesota Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Rochester rose 0.1 percentage points in March 2019 to 2.7%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.5 percentage points lower than the Minnesota rate. The unemployment rate in Rochester peaked in June 2009 at 6.8% and is now 4.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.3% in June 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.4 percentage points. You can also compare Rochester unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	March 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.8%	0.0	-0.2
Minnesota	3.2%	+0.1	+0.2
Rochester	2.7%	+0.1	+0.1

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with March 2019 data as April 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 June 2009 at 7,870. There are now 4,474 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 2,858 in July 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 538.

Unemployed Persons	March 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
Rochester	3,396	+117	+221

Number of Unemployed Persons

Rochester, Minnesota Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Minnesota Unemployment Rate	Rochester Unemployment Rate	Rochester Unemployed
April 2019	3.6%	3.3%	—	—
March 2019	3.8%	3.2%	2.7%	3,396
February 2019	3.8%	3.1%	2.6%	3,279
January 2019	4.0%	3.0%	2.6%	3,225
December 2018	3.9%	2.9%	2.5%	3,117
November 2018	3.7%	2.9%	2.5%	3,116
October 2018	3.8%	2.8%	2.5%	3,071
September 2018	3.7%	2.8%	2.4%	2,978
August 2018	3.8%	2.8%	2.3%	2,894
July 2018	3.9%	2.8%	2.3%	2,858
June 2018	4.0%	2.8%	2.3%	2,882
May 2018	3.8%	2.9%	2.4%	2,957