Rochester, Minnesota Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Rochester fell 0.2 percentage points in February 2019 to 2.6%. 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 4.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.3% in September 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Rochester unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	February 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.8%	-0.2	-0.3
Minnesota	3.1%	+0.1	0.0
Rochester	2.6%	-0.2	-0.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with February 2019 data as March 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 7,953. There are now 4,662 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 2,828 in September 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 463.

Unemployed Persons	February 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
Rochester	3,291	-141	-188

Number of Unemployed Persons

Rochester, Minnesota Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Minnesota Unemployment Rate	Rochester Unemployment Rate	Rochester Unemployed
March 2019	3.8%	3.2%	—	—
February 2019	3.8%	3.1%	2.6%	3,291
January 2019	4.0%	3.0%	2.8%	3,432
December 2018	3.9%	2.9%	2.7%	3,252
November 2018	3.7%	2.9%	2.5%	3,016
October 2018	3.8%	2.8%	2.4%	2,962
September 2018	3.7%	2.8%	2.3%	2,828
August 2018	3.8%	2.8%	2.4%	2,909
July 2018	3.9%	2.8%	2.4%	2,893
June 2018	4.0%	2.8%	2.5%	3,023
May 2018	3.8%	2.9%	2.5%	3,020
April 2018	3.9%	3.0%	2.7%	3,305