Department of Numbers

Rochester, Minnesota Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Rochester rose 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 2.1%. 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 May 2020 at 10.8% and is now 8.7 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 1.7% in June 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.4 percentage points. You can also compare Rochester unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
Minnesota 2.9% 0.0 +0.1
Rochester 2.1% +0.1 -0.3
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Rochester, Minnesota, National

Rochester, Minnesota monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Rochester, Minnesota Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Rochester peaked in May 2020 at 13,974. There are now 11,328 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 2,201 in July 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 445.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Rochester 2,646 +60 -389

Number of Unemployed Persons

Rochester, Minnesota Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Minnesota
Unemployment Rate
Rochester
Unemployment Rate
Rochester
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 2.9% 2.1% 2,646
December
2022
3.5% 2.9% 2.0% 2,586
November
2022
3.6% 3.0% 1.9% 2,433
October
2022
3.7% 3.0% 1.8% 2,326
September
2022
3.5% 2.9% 1.8% 2,274
August
2022
3.7% 2.7% 1.8% 2,234
July
2022
3.5% 2.6% 1.7% 2,201
June
2022
3.6% 2.4% 1.7% 2,231
May
2022
3.6% 2.4% 1.8% 2,295
April
2022
3.6% 2.3% 1.9% 2,428
March
2022
3.6% 2.4% 2.1% 2,651

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.