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