Counties with the highest unemployment in Minnesota
The first jobs report under the new Trump administration showed a stable job market, with the unemployment rate ticking down from 4.1% to 4% in January, the lowest since last May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Feb. 7.
The report marks 49 consecutive months of overall job growth, the second-longest recorded period since 1939.
Job losses that did occur were concentrated in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, which declined by 8,000 jobs over the month. There was little change in employment in other major industries.
To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates Minnesota, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in December 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.
Key takeaways: Jobs report reveals cooling labor market
January's job growth of 143,000 fell short of expectations, while the downward revision of 589,000 fewer jobs in 2024 suggests the labor market was weaker last year than initially thought.
Business leaders are starting to display more caution, with 67% of executives reporting higher stress levels heading into 2025, according to a survey of 1,000 executives by Sentry, a business insurance company. Among survey respondents, 47% citing economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.
"We have what I would describe as a robust but frozen labor market," Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, told The New York Times, noting that while unemployment remains low, there's very little churn or employee turnover as "businesses are being cautious as to how they manage their work force."
Moody's Analytics projects monthly payroll gains could slow to around 100,000 by year-end.
The big story: Potential for economic headwinds grows
Behind the "Now Hiring" signs and modest unemployment rate, there's growing concern on Main Street that the economy might be more fragile than it appears.
"You've already got companies hiring as if they're in a recession—even if they're not laying people off," Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CNN. Average unemployment duration, a lagging indicator, rose from 20.8 weeks in January 2024 to 22 in January of this year.
Tightening trade regulations and federal trimming could also have an impact on the job market. Experts predict the U.S. gross domestic product could take a hit due to increased tariffs. The U.S. government is the country's largest employer and contributes 36% to the GDP.
Sudden cuts to federal spending advocated by the new administration could hit the economy hard. One example of the potential fallout is that if prices were to increase further due to higher tariffs, consumer purchasing power would decline, stymieing economic growth.
Whether the effects of slashing the workforce and the budget will be exceeded by Trump's plans to loosen business regulations and cut taxes remains to be seen.
To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Minnesota.
48. Kandiyohi County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 23,606 people (667 unemployed)
48. Chippewa County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,510 people (181 unemployed)
48. Steele County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,977 people (509 unemployed)
45. Stevens County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,651 people (163 unemployed)
45. St. Louis County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 98,755 people (2,869 unemployed)
45. Wright County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 76,620 people (2,214 unemployed)
44. Roseau County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,284 people (245 unemployed)
41. Lake County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,244 people (161 unemployed)
41. Kittson County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,278 people (71 unemployed)
41. Sherburne County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 53,042 people (1,651 unemployed)
37. Pope County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,432 people (208 unemployed)
37. Meeker County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,155 people (453 unemployed)
37. McLeod County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,383 people (629 unemployed)
37. Lincoln County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,188 people (102 unemployed)
36. Murray County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,717 people (154 unemployed)
33. Big Stone County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,373 people (81 unemployed)
33. Beltrami County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,079 people (847 unemployed)
33. Faribault County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,200 people (243 unemployed)
30. Becker County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,547 people (675 unemployed)
30. Renville County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,155 people (287 unemployed)
30. Chisago County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,004 people (1,048 unemployed)
27. Otter Tail County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 31,454 people (1,123 unemployed)
27. Lake of the Woods County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,388 people (87 unemployed)
27. Sibley County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,251 people (297 unemployed)
24. Benton County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,020 people (817 unemployed)
24. Carlton County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,421 people (638 unemployed)
24. Norman County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,272 people (120 unemployed)
23. Koochiching County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,607 people (212 unemployed)
21. Crow Wing County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 33,766 people (1,321 unemployed)
21. Waseca County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,284 people (325 unemployed)
18. Cook County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,778 people (112 unemployed)
18. Mahnomen County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,378 people (94 unemployed)
18. Todd County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,095 people (566 unemployed)
17. Grant County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,296 people (134 unemployed)
16. Isanti County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,836 people (909 unemployed)
15. Itasca County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,497 people (938 unemployed)
13. Le Sueur County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,117 people (743 unemployed)
13. Marshall County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,517 people (254 unemployed)
10. Wadena County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,188 people (304 unemployed)
10. Morrison County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,839 people (869 unemployed)
10. Red Lake County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,186 people (107 unemployed)
9. Cass County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,583 people (732 unemployed)
7. Hubbard County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,156 people (515 unemployed)
7. Swift County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: +2.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,193 people (263 unemployed)
5. Aitkin County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,484 people (400 unemployed)
5. Pine County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,566 people (773 unemployed)
4. Mille Lacs County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,780 people (690 unemployed)
3. Pennington County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: +2.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,699 people (476 unemployed)
2. Kanabec County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,364 people (553 unemployed)
1. Clearwater County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
--- 1-month change: +1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,646 people (283 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
