Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Minnesota

Written by:
November 15, 2022
McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Minnesota

Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.

As of October of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.2% higher than in September. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2.0% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in Illinois and 4.7% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.

To that end, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in Minnesota using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.

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Bobak Ha'Eri // Wikimedia Commons

#50. Brown County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 13,145 (222 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#49. Dakota County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 244,557 (4,158 unemployed)
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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#48. Goodhue County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 25,840 (452 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#47. Marshall County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 5,057 (84 unemployed)
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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#46. Martin County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 8,999 (152 unemployed)

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Darb02 // Wikimedia Commons

#45. Mower County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 20,011 (345 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#44. Redwood County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 7,120 (118 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikicommons

#43. Stearns County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 89,668 (1,498 unemployed)
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David Daniel // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Cottonwood County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 6,486 (117 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#41. Kandiyohi County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 22,150 (395 unemployed)

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Myotus // Wikimedia Commons

#40. Kittson County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 2,139 (38 unemployed)
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Bobak Ha'Eri // Wikimedia Commons

#39. McLeod County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 18,445 (331 unemployed)
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Andrew Filer // Wikimedia Commons

#38. Pennington County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 8,503 (155 unemployed)
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Myotus // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Polk County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 15,445 (278 unemployed)
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Bobak Ha'Eri // Wikimedia Commons

#36. Sherburne County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 53,396 (944 unemployed)

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Bobak Ha'Eri // Wikimedia Commons

#35. Swift County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 4,483 (82 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#34. Todd County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 12,853 (230 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#33. Anoka County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 200,438 (3,760 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Beltrami County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 23,787 (457 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Benton County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 21,587 (415 unemployed)

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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Cass County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 17,093 (331 unemployed)
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Tony Webster // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Chisago County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 30,065 (560 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Cook County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 2,947 (56 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Crow Wing County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 31,867 (605 unemployed)
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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Freeborn County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 14,816 (283 unemployed)

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Checubus // Shutterstock

#25. Hennepin County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 712,429 (13,514 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Isanti County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 21,761 (422 unemployed)
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Elkman // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Sibley County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 8,000 (153 unemployed)
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Myotus // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Steele County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 18,840 (356 unemployed)
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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Faribault County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 6,739 (132 unemployed)

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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Morrison County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 16,838 (334 unemployed)
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Mulad // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Ramsey County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 288,327 (5,833 unemployed)
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Tony Webster // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Carlton County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 17,411 (360 unemployed)
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w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Kanabec County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 8,930 (191 unemployed)
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Mathieu Nicklay // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Norman County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 3,077 (64 unemployed)

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w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Red Lake County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 2,116 (45 unemployed)
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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Waseca County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 8,472 (179 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Hubbard County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 10,182 (229 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Mille Lacs County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 12,574 (280 unemployed)
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ACNWelc // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Pine County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 13,847 (307 unemployed)

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Canva

#10. St. Louis County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 99,800 (2,163 unemployed)
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Tony Webster // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Renville County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 7,959 (184 unemployed)
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Elkman // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Aitkin County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 7,287 (174 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Wadena County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 5,743 (135 unemployed)
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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Itasca County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 20,460 (515 unemployed)

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Ed Lombard // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Koochiching County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 5,442 (141 unemployed)
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P199 // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Lake of the Woods County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 2,293 (59 unemployed)
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Myotus // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Clearwater County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 4,420 (130 unemployed)
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Andrew Filer (afiler) // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Mahnomen County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 2,121 (64 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Lake County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: +2.1%
- Total labor force: 5,448 (250 unemployed)

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