Rochester, Minnesota Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Rochester fell 0.0 percentage points in March 2020 to 2.7%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 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 July 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 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	4.4%	+0.9	+0.6
Minnesota	2.9%	-0.2	-0.3
Rochester	2.7%	0.0	-0.1

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with March 2020 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 4,548 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 2,883 in July 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 439.

Unemployed Persons	March 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
Rochester	3,322	-36	-113

Number of Unemployed Persons

Rochester, Minnesota Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Minnesota Unemployment Rate	Rochester Unemployment Rate	Rochester Unemployed
April 2020	14.7%	8.1%	—	—
March 2020	4.4%	2.9%	2.7%	3,322
February 2020	3.5%	3.1%	2.7%	3,358
January 2020	3.6%	3.2%	2.7%	3,454
December 2019	3.5%	3.3%	2.9%	3,691
November 2019	3.5%	3.3%	2.9%	3,625
October 2019	3.6%	3.3%	2.8%	3,553
September 2019	3.5%	3.2%	2.8%	3,489
August 2019	3.7%	3.2%	2.7%	3,438
July 2019	3.7%	3.2%	2.7%	3,406
June 2019	3.7%	3.2%	2.7%	3,388
May 2019	3.6%	3.2%	2.7%	3,392