MN jobless rate dips to 3.1 percent in November, lowest since 2000

Minnesota's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dipped to 3.1 percent in November, the lowest monthly rate in more than 17 years.

The November rate slipped from 3.4 percent in October, even though state employers eliminated 4,000 jobs in November on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development said Thursday.

The state has added 34,566 jobs over the past 12 months, an increase of 1.2 percent, while U.S. jobs grew 1.4 percent, the agency said.

"The overall number of unemployed Minnesotans fell below 100,000 last month for the first time since March 2001," DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy said in a statement. "While the state lost jobs in November, Minnesotans are continuing to find work in an improving economy."

Industries adding jobs in November include trade, transportation and utilities (up 2,300), construction (up 1,800), and professional and business services (up 1,800).

Sectors that lost jobs included leisure and hospitality (down 7,500), other services (down 1,500) and manufacturing (down 700).

Education and health services (up 11,435) leads the sector job growth over the past year. Leisure and hospitality (down 2,270) leads job losers for the year.