Local Unemployment Rate Goes Up in December

ST. CLOUD - The number of unemployed workers went up in the St. Cloud metro area last month.  The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development says our unemployment rate jumped up to 5.8% from the 5.1% we had in October and November.

We're also now slightly above the statewide average which is at 5.7%.  But we are still doing a lot better that the nation which is at 8.5%.

On the positive side, the 5.8% unemployment rate is still a full point lower than the unemployment rate in the St. Cloud area in December of 2010.  And, it's the lowest December unemployment rate for the area since 2007.

As for some other regional areas around the state: Mankato is at 4.5%, Rochester is at 4.7%, and Duluth is at 6.6%.