Counties with the highest unemployment in Minnesota
In November, the national unemployment rate changed very little from October, rising from 4.1% to 4.2%. It's been slightly elevated in recent months compared to levels a year ago—likely a symptom of the Federal Reserve's higher interest rates, which can slow hiring and decrease job openings. It's up from 3.7% the year before, but for comparison, unemployment rates surged to 10% in October 2009 during the Great Recession, and a full recovery took years. At the height of the brief COVID-19 recession in April 2020, unemployment hit 14.7%.
To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Minnesota using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in October 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Despite the slight uptick in unemployment, the labor market added 227,000 jobs in November, according to the BLS.
In the private sector, employment increased by 146,000 jobs, with 50,000 jobs added in education and health services and another 28,000 jobs in trade, transportation, and utilities, according to ADP's National Employment Report. While Sun Belt states saw growth in manufacturing roles, other jobs diminished in the sector across the Rust Belt, which continues to see losses.
The labor market forecast for 2025 is still somewhat uncertain. The reelection of Donald Trump and his proposal to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico may send ripples throughout the economy. A tariff increase could create an inflationary environment, shifting the labor market as inflation inches toward the 2% goal.
To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Minnesota.
#25. St. Louis County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 98,158 people (2,632 unemployed)
#24. Anoka County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 197,413 people (5,355 unemployed)
#23. Lake of the Woods County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 2,340 people (65 unemployed)
#22. Mahnomen County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,399 people (67 unemployed)
#21. Carlton County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,232 people (474 unemployed)
#20. Benton County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,031 people (624 unemployed)
#19. Chisago County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,814 people (823 unemployed)
#18. Crow Wing County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 34,237 people (956 unemployed)
#17. Hennepin County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 701,387 people (19,543 unemployed)
#16. Cottonwood County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 5.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,345 people (183 unemployed)
#15. Todd County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,312 people (409 unemployed)
#14. Ramsey County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 283,931 people (8,164 unemployed)
#13. Red Lake County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,194 people (65 unemployed)
#12. Cass County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,077 people (459 unemployed)
#11. Itasca County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,681 people (658 unemployed)
#10. Waseca County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,683 people (265 unemployed)
#9. Isanti County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,603 people (661 unemployed)
#8. Kanabec County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,258 people (298 unemployed)
#7. Hubbard County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,373 people (328 unemployed)
#6. Pine County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,492 people (462 unemployed)
#5. Wadena County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,126 people (200 unemployed)
#4. Aitkin County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,488 people (245 unemployed)
#3. Koochiching County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,621 people (195 unemployed)
#2. Mille Lacs County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,569 people (438 unemployed)
#1. Swift County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 3.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 3.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,383 people (289 unemployed)
This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
