{"schema_version": 1, "id": "mankato-north-mankato-mn-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10", "product": "Metro Job Market Pulse", "metro": {"geography_id": 319, "label": "Mankato-North Mankato, MN MSA", "slug": "mankato-north-mankato-mn-msa"}, "focus_area": {"key": "general_conditions", "slug": "metro-job-market", "label": "General Market Conditions"}, "period": "2026-10", "public_after": "2026-10-01", "frozen_at": "2026-11-03T07:52:48.035002+00:00", "headline": "Mankato's jobs dip, but its labor market stays tight.", "headline_summary": "Mankato lost 318 jobs over the year even as its 3.9% unemployment rate beat the national 4.0% and Minnesota's 4.4%, with manufacturing pay running nearly $6,000 above the national median.", "key_indicators": [{"label": "Mankato unemployment rate", "value": "3.9%", "context": "vs 4.0% U.S., 4.4% Minnesota (Sept., NSA)"}, {"label": "Mankato year-over-year job change", "value": "-0.5%", "context": "318 jobs lost; reverses August's +3.7%"}, {"label": "Minnesota wage growth vs. CPI", "value": "0% vs 3.7%", "context": "Flat wages vs 2.9% national wage growth"}, {"label": "Minnesota labor force participation", "value": "66.7%", "context": "Down from 68.2% in December 2025"}], "takeaways": [{"headline": "Mankato's job count fell while its unemployment edge held.", "body": "A 0.5% year-over-year decline in total jobs coincided with an unemployment rate still nearly half a point below the national figure, a pattern consistent with a tight, supply-constrained labor market."}, {"headline": "Manufacturing pay gap with the nation keeps widening.", "body": "Metro manufacturing production worker pay sits at $45,760 versus a $39,520 national median, even as the metro's goods-producing sector added 501 jobs over the year \u2014 a sign this corridor remains a relative bright spot in the regional economy."}, {"headline": "Service-sector contraction is the real story behind the headline number.", "body": "Service providers lost 819 jobs, or 1.7%, over the year, more than offsetting goods-producer gains and driving the metro's overall negative print \u2014 a reversal from August's 3.7% growth that warrants tracking for whether it persists or reflects a single-month swing."}, {"headline": "Wage-vs-inflation math looks worse in Minnesota than nationally.", "body": "State wages have stayed flat since last September against 3.7% CPI growth, compared with 2.9% nominal wage growth nationally \u2014 a purchasing-power gap that, if mirrored locally, has direct implications for consumer spending capacity across Mankato's retail and service economy."}], "local_conditions": "Mankato's September unemployment rate held at 3.9% on a non-seasonally-adjusted basis, below both the national rate of 4.0% and Minnesota's 4.4%, but the metro posted its first year-over-year job loss in recent memory \u2014 down 318 jobs, or 0.5%, as service providers shed 819 positions while goods producers added 501. Divergence between a weakening headline count and a still-favorable unemployment rate compared with state and national figures suggests labor supply constraints are shaping the local picture.", "implications": "Mankato's goods-producing gains (+5% year-over-year) against service-sector contraction (-1.7%) point to uneven momentum across the metro's basket, with manufacturing and warehouse/fulfillment pay (up to $43,680 locally, above the $38,480 national median) signaling continued strength in that corridor even as broader job counts soften. Commerce leaders weighing expansion or investment timing should treat the metro's below-average unemployment rate as a sign of tight labor supply \u2014 current conditions suggest evaluating sector-specific momentum, particularly goods-producing strength, before drawing conclusions from the aggregate job count alone.", "looking_ahead": [{"category": "Early indicator", "body": "Watch whether Mankato's service-sector job losses (-819 over the year) extend into October data or prove to be a single-month deviation from August's 3.7% growth print."}, {"category": "Potential inflection point", "body": "Minnesota's labor force participation rate fell to 66.7% amid cited immigration enforcement effects; a comparable drop in Blue Earth or Nicollet county participation would signal tightening local labor supply independent of job demand."}, {"category": "Worth watching", "body": "A facility closure reported via DEED WARN notice is set to begin layoffs December 18 through year-end; the scale and sector of affected workers will matter for assessing the metro's labor supply going into 2027."}, {"category": "Emerging pressure point", "body": "Minnesota's wage-inflation gap (flat wages vs. 3.7% CPI) is wider than the national pattern; sustained erosion in household purchasing power could show up in local retail and consumer-facing business activity before it appears in employment data."}], "roles": [{"role": "Retail Sales Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 27206.0, "metro_p50": 31716.0, "metro_p75": 35360.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 33340.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Retail Cashier", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 29120.0, "metro_p50": 32498.0, "metro_p75": 33800.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 31268.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 35100.0, "metro_p50": 43680.0, "metro_p75": 43680.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 38480.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "CDL Truck Driver", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 59548.0, "metro_p50": 80000.0, "metro_p75": 90000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 78872.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Delivery Driver", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 31588.0, "metro_p50": 34992.0, "metro_p75": 45760.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 34826.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Construction Laborer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 35360.0, "metro_p50": 40983.6, "metro_p75": 43680.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 40726.6, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Electrician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 69558.0, "metro_p50": 85000.0, "metro_p75": 93600.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 71835.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 38480.0, "metro_p50": 45760.0, "metro_p75": 48880.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 39520.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Customer Service Representative", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 37440.0, "metro_p50": 44551.2, "metro_p75": 56160.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 39520.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Food Service Worker", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 30058.0, "metro_p50": 31200.0, "metro_p75": 33488.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 33764.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 37971.0, "metro_p50": 45760.0, "metro_p75": 46800.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 41600.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 39520.0, "metro_p50": 44345.6, "metro_p75": 45760.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 44552.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "HVAC Technician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 62400.0, "metro_p50": 63621.0, "metro_p75": 69555.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 71406.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Registered Nurse", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 82500.0, "metro_p50": 97606.6, "metro_p75": 108264.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 102252.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Software Engineer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 99782.25, "metro_p50": 112089.0, "metro_p75": 116147.25, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 154403.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Data Engineer", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 99146.0, "metro_p50": 133631.0, "metro_p75": 150000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 138000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Accountant", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 60000.0, "metro_p50": 75000.0, "metro_p75": 80000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 72000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Financial Analyst", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 80672.0, "metro_p50": 88611.6, "metro_p75": 91974.5, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 94646.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "HR Generalist/Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 63000.0, "metro_p50": 72052.6, "metro_p75": 79000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 74477.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Marketing Specialist", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 56062.0, "metro_p50": 60000.0, "metro_p75": 61431.25, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 62916.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Operations Manager", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 67000.0, "metro_p50": 115506.6, "metro_p75": 121770.75, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 86294.2, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Elementary/Secondary School Teacher", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 31200.0, "metro_p50": 37084.8, "metro_p75": 46426.25, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 55908.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Account Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 60000.0, "metro_p50": 65690.0, "metro_p75": 80000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 94009.4, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Warehouse Manager", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 69123.5, "metro_p50": 89169.0, "metro_p75": 89169.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 75000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Business Analyst", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 82555.0, "metro_p50": 101254.0, "metro_p75": 111120.5, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 98302.2, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}], "industry_snapshot": [{"sector": "Construction", "median_pay": 65000.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Manufacturing", "median_pay": 77250.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Retail Trade", "median_pay": 42120.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities", "median_pay": 41600.0, "pay_trend_direction": "down", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Information", "median_pay": 44304.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Financial Activities", "median_pay": 48620.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Professional & Business Services", "median_pay": 48703.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Education & Health Services", "median_pay": 46800.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Leisure & Hospitality", "median_pay": 37440.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Government", "median_pay": 67973.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}], "citations": [{"source_name": "Mankato Free Press", "source_url": null, "statement": "Mankato unemployment rate 3.9% vs national 4.0%, Minnesota 4.4% in September"}, {"source_name": "Mankato Free Press", "source_url": null, "statement": "Mankato lost 318 jobs (-0.5%) year-over-year; services -819, goods +501"}, {"source_name": "Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)", "source_url": null, "statement": "Minnesota wages flat since last September vs 3.7% CPI increase"}, {"source_name": "Minnesota DEED / Commissioner Matt Varilek", "source_url": null, "statement": "Minnesota labor force participation fell to 66.7% from 68.2% in December 2025"}, {"source_name": "Mankato Free Press / Minnesota DEED", "source_url": null, "statement": "WARN notice facility closure with layoffs beginning December 18, 2026"}, {"source_name": "Bureau of Labor Statistics / Minnesota DEED", "source_url": null, "statement": "Minnesota unemployment rose to 4.5% in September, above national rate all year"}], "methodology": "Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay.", "edition_label": "November 2026", "files": {"html": "mankato-north-mankato-mn-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.html", "pdf": "mankato-north-mankato-mn-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.pdf", "sources_html": "mankato-north-mankato-mn-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.sources.html"}, "published_at": "2026-11-03T08:25:43.053359+00:00", "report_html_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/mankato-north-mankato-mn-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.html", "report_pdf_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/mankato-north-mankato-mn-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.pdf"}