Minnesota Now Has Lowest Unemployment Rate Since 1999

TWIN CITIES, MN — Minnesota’s unemployment rate dropped down two-tenths of a percentage point to 2.7 percent in February, according to numbers released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

Minnesota now has the lowest unemployment rate in the state since 1999

Officials attribute the decline in Minnesota’s unemployment rate "entirely" to people moving from unemployment to employment. The state’s labor force participation rate rose from 67.6 percent to 67.9 percent in February.

"We’re glad to see another significant jump in labor force participation during this tight labor market," said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove.

"We believe that the efforts of DEED and our workforce partners across Minnesota are bringing more people off the sidelines and into good jobs now. We remain laser-focused on helping businesses connect with workers, particularly in communities that are often overlooked."

Meanwhile, the national unemployment rate decreased to 3.8 percent from 4 percent in January while the national labor force participation rate inched up one-tenth of a percentage point to 62.3 percent