St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - The latest state jobs data shows the Rochester area continued to have the strongest job market in Minnesota last month.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is reporting that Minnesota enjoyed a net gain of approximately 11,000 jobs in March. The data shows the private sector added about 8000 jobs with the leisure and hospitality sector responsible for more than half of the job gains.

November Jobs Report Shows Pace Of New Jobs Decreasing Slightly
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Over the past 12 months, Minnesota has added more than 47,500 jobs. That equates to a job growth rate of 1.6%, which remained below the national job growth rate of 1.9%.

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The job growth rate for the Rochester metropolitan area last month was 3.3% as the local economy added just under 4000 jobs during the past year. The job growth rate in the Twin Cities was 1.2%.

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The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate last month was steady at 2.7%. It was the fifth consecutive month that Minnesota's jobless rate has been unchanged. A year ago, the rate was 2.8% for the month of March.

The report also shows Minnesota's labor force grew by about 3000 workers last month, although the total size of the labor force was slightly below the number reported a year ago. The labor force participation rate rose a tenth of a percentage point to 68%.

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