Northern Minnesota counties see higher percentage of unemployment filings

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is releasing county-by-county statistics on unemployment filings. (FOX 9)

Northern Minnesota counties have been hardest hit by unemployment amid the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home order, according to newly released data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Friday, DEED released statistics showing the county-by-county unemployment filings since March 16. Statewide, 633,405 Minnesotans have filed for unemployment since mid-March, which is 20 percent of the state's workforce.

Based on the percentage of unemployment applicants in the work force, the hardest hit counties are all in northern Minnesota:

 - Cook: 32.6%

 - Mahnomen: 31.1%

 - Roseau: 26.6%

 - Lake: 26.1%

 - Cass: 25.4%

Hennepin County has the most unemployment applicants (152,353) since March 15. Here's how the seven-county Twin Cities metro area has been impacted based on the percentage of the labor force.

 - Anoka: 22.1%

 - Ramsey: 21.8%

 - Scott: 21.5%

 - Hennepin: 21.4%

 - Dakota: 21.2%

 - Washington: 19.9%

 - Carver: 17.7%

The lowest rates are all in western Minnesota, led by Wilkin and Lincoln counties, which are both at 6.6 percent.

The occupations that have seen the most unemployment filings are food and beverage serving workers, retail sales workers and construstion trades workers.