(The Center Square) – North Dakota added more than 8,000 jobs in October compared to the same month last year, preliminary data from North Dakota’s Labor Market Information shows.
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 1.9% in October, demonstrating no change from September but down from October 2022’s rate of 2.1%, according to the latest jobs report.
North Dakota remains well below the national unemployment rate of 3.9% in October, up from 3.7% in October of last year.
North Dakota’s October job count grew by 8,200 year over year. The most significant increase is in the mining and logging sector, which added over 2,700 jobs, the report said. It is followed by government employment, which grew by over 2,100 jobs and the leisure and hospitality sector, which added more than 2,000 jobs since last October.
Three industries saw decreases in employment within the state. Construction lost more than 2,300 jobs, the largest among the state’s industries. The information sector lost 200 jobs and employment in financial activities was down by 100 jobs, the report said.
In total, there were 5,698 North Dakotans who were unemployed during October, up slightly by 60 people, or 1.1%, from September but down by 232 people from October 2022, according to the jobs report. During that time, the state’s labor force grew by over 1,800 people.
Of North Dakota’s 53 counties, 16 reported unemployment rates below the state average in September, with the lowest being in Divide, Dunn, McKenzie, Mountrail, and Towner counties, which all had 1% unemployment rates, the report said.
The highest unemployment rate in North Dakota is in Rolette County, at 2.9%.
