Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Minnesota

Written by:
August 8, 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 June of this year, national unemployment is at 3.5%, 0.1% lower than in May, marking a three-month stagnation—following a steady drop since that aforementioned COVID-affected peak. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.8% in Minnesota, to 4.9% in New Mexico and 5.5% 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 June 2022, which as of this writing is the most current Bureau data.

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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#50. Anoka County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
-Total Labor Force: 202,024 (4,445 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikicommons

#49. Stearns County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 88,899 (1,964 unemployed)
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Jatakuck // Wikimedia Commons

#48. Watonwan County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 6,330 (140 unemployed)
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Tony Webster // Wikimedia Commons

#47. Chisago County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 30,257 (670 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#46. Isanti County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 21,910 (486 unemployed)

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Bobak Ha'Eri // Wikimedia Commons

#45. Brown County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 13,321 (296 unemployed)
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Checubus // Shutterstock

#44. Hennepin County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 717,498 (15,989 unemployed)
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Elkman // Wikimedia Commons

#43. Sibley County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 8,022 (179 unemployed)
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Andrew Filer // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Pennington County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 8,575 (192 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#41. Kandiyohi County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 22,511 (513 unemployed)

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Jet Lowe // Wikimedia Commons

#40. Lac qui Parle County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
-Total Labor Force: 3,275 (75 unemployed)
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Bobak Ha'Eri // Wikimedia Commons

#39. McLeod County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 18,755 (432 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#38. Big Stone County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 2,372 (55 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Crow Wing County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 32,724 (760 unemployed)
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David Daniel // Wikimedia Commons

#36. Cottonwood County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 6,569 (153 unemployed)

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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#35. Becker County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 18,576 (433 unemployed)
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Myotus // Wikimedia Commons

#34. Steele County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 19,116 (446 unemployed)
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Myotus // Wikimedia Commons

#33. Kittson County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 2,183 (51 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Todd County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 12,986 (306 unemployed)
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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Freeborn County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 15,079 (356 unemployed)

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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Cass County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 17,723 (421 unemployed)
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w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Yellow Medicine County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 4,840 (115 unemployed)
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Mulad // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Ramsey County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.7%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
-Total Labor Force: 290,733 (7,099 unemployed)
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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Martin County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 9,280 (227 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Cook County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 2,836 (70 unemployed)

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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Marshall County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 5,180 (129 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Benton County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 21,405 (538 unemployed)
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Bobak Ha'Eri // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Swift County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 4,598 (116 unemployed)
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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Faribault County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 6,781 (173 unemployed)
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w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Kanabec County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 9,039 (232 unemployed)

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w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Red Lake County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 2,142 (55 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Mille Lacs County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 12,660 (330 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Beltrami County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 23,951 (636 unemployed)
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Tony Webster // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Carlton County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 17,479 (466 unemployed)
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P199 // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Lake of the Woods County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 2,384 (64 unemployed)

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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Morrison County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: +0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 17,134 (460 unemployed)
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Myotus // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Polk County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: +0.9%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
-Total Labor Force: 15,649 (421 unemployed)
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ACNWelc // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Pine County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 14,018 (385 unemployed)
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Canva

#12. St. Louis County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: +0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 100,297 (2,794 unemployed)
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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Waseca County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: +0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 8,554 (239 unemployed)

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Elkman // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Aitkin County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 7,438 (213 unemployed)
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Mathieu Nicklay // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Norman County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: +0.9%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 3,149 (91 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Hubbard County

- Current Unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 10,458 (305 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Wadena County

- Current Unemployment rate: 3.0%
--- 1 month change: +0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 5,822 (172 unemployed)
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Tony Webster // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Renville County

- Current Unemployment rate: 3.0%
--- 1 month change: +0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 7,820 (232 unemployed)

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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Itasca County

- Current Unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 21,075 (719 unemployed)
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Ed Lombard // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Koochiching County

- Current Unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 5,645 (207 unemployed)
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Andrew Filer (afiler) // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Mahnomen County

- Current Unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: +0.8%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
-Total Labor Force: 2,114 (83 unemployed)
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Myotus // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Clearwater County

- Current Unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
-Total Labor Force: 4,337 (190 unemployed)
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McGhiever // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Lake County

- Current Unemployment rate: 5.0%
--- 1 month change: +1.2%
--- 1 year change: +1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 5,551 (277 unemployed)

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