North Dakota February 2022 Jobless Rate

Bismarck (NDJS)  . – Job Service North Dakota reported that labor statistics released show North Dakota’s February not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.1 percent. The unemployment rate decreased 0.4 of a percentage point between January and February, which was larger than typical seasonal patterns. February 2021’s rate was 2.1 percentage points higher than the current rate.

Between January 2022 and February 2022 unemployment fell by 1,650, a decrease of 11.6 percent. North Dakota typically sees a smaller decrease in unemployment numbers between January and February. The over-the-year decrease (February 2021 to February 2022) in unemployed labor force was 8,352, a loss of 39.9 percent.

The national not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February was 4.1 percent. It was 4.4 percent the prior month and 6.6 percent the prior year.

North Dakota Not Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force Data

February 2022

January 2022

February 2021

Unemployment Rate

3.1%

3.5%

5.2%

Unemployed

12,589

14,239

20,941

Employed

394,700

392,082

381,511

Labor Force

407,289

406,321

402,452

The nation’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.8 percent for the month, lower than the prior month by 0.2 of a percentage point and 2.4 percentage points lower than the same period one year ago. The seasonally adjusted rate for North Dakota was 2.9 percent, 0.2 of a percentage point lower than the prior month, and 1.6 percentage points lower than the same period one year ago. The seasonal adjustment process uses a statistical adjustment to accommodate predictable fluctuations between months such as length of daylight and typical weather, allowing for comparison between all months of a year.
In February, North Dakota ranked 11th among all states’ unemployment rates, at 2.9 percent. Vermont and Wisconsin tied with North Dakota. Nebraska and Utah tied for 1st place with unemployment rates of 2.1 percent.

Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

February 2022

January 2022

February 2021

North Dakota

2.9%

3.1%

4.5%

United States

3.8%

4.0%

6.2%

North Dakota’s Nonfarm Employment
Preliminary estimates indicate North Dakota’s February 2022 not seasonally adjusted employment increased 3.7 percent (+14,800) from the same period one year ago and increased 0.7 percent (+2,900) over the month.
Ten of the 13 major industries reported year-over-year employment increases led by Leisure and Hospitality, posting the largest over-the-year increase in employment, a gain of 3,500 jobs (+10.2 percent). The Food Services and Drinking Places subsector contributed the largest portion of this increase, a gain of 1,500 jobs. The second largest super sector increase took place in the Professional and Business Services industry, with an annual job growth of 3,100 (+10.0 percent).
Educational and Health Services posted the largest over-the-year drop in employment, a loss of 700 jobs (-1.1 percent). Wholesale Trade reported the second largest over-the-year decline in employment with a loss of 300 jobs (-1.4 percent) since February of 2021. The only other super sector decline in employment was reported in Information (-100).

METRO AREAS
All three of North Dakota’s metro areas had increases in annual employment. Combined, employment grew by 6,500 jobs in the metro areas. Fargo posted the leading employment gain of 3,300 (+2.4 percent). Grand Forks and Bismarck trailed with employment growth of 1,600 each.

FARGO

*        Nine of the 12 major industries reported year-over-year employment increases. Professional and Business Services posted the largest increase in employment, a gain of 1,300 jobs. Employment reductions occurred in Financial Activities (-400), Wholesale Trade (-300), and Information (-200).

GRAND FORKS

*        Prominent employment gains were reported in Leisure and Hospitality (+900), Professional and Business Services (+600), and Mining, Logging and Construction (+300). Employment losses occurred in Educational and Health Services (-200), Manufacturing (-100), and Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (-100).

BISMARCK

*        The greatest industry employment gains took place in Leisure and Hospitality (+500), Retail Trade (+400), and Mining, Logging and Construction (+400). Only two industries reported a drop in employment, Government (-300), and Educational and Health Services (-100).

Notes:

1.    The unemployment rate is the percentage of people actively seeking work compared to those in the labor force (employed plus unemployed).

2.    Data are subject to revision.

3.    The Job Service North Dakota Labor Market Information Center produced these statistics using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ nationally-required standard methodology.

4.    Labor Force data for county and substate areas will be posted on 3-30-2022 to the Labor Market Information website: https://www.ndlmi.com.

5.    Nonfarm Employment (CES) is a monthly estimate of nonfarm employment. It is benchmarked to actual data annually.

6.    The Current Employment Statistics (CES) Survey, conducted by the BLS, is a monthly establishment survey of about 140,000 businesses and government agencies, which cover approximately 490,000 individual worksites. The main objective of the CES Survey is to estimate nonfarm employment, hours and earnings at place of work for the entire Nation, individual States, and metropolitan areas. The survey, is a stratified, simple random sample of worksites where the sample strata, or subpopulations, are defined by state, industry, and employment size, yielding a state-based design. The establishment survey, like other sample surveys, is subject to sampling and nonsampling error.

7.    The Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program produces monthly employment and unemployment estimates for approximately 7,500 geographic areas, which include all States, labor market areas, counties, cities with a population of 25,000 or more, and all cities and towns in New England, regardless of population. LAUS estimates are designed to reflect the labor force concepts embodied in the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a monthly sample survey of households. The survey statistics on the labor force status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over. CPS data are collected each month from a probability sample of approximately 60,000 occupied households and yield estimates of demographic, social, and economic characteristics of the population.