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Labor Market Information Center

Labor Market Barometer

The Labor Market Barometer compares the level of unemployed, the number of job openings posted on SDWORKS (South Dakota’s online jobs database), and the number of newly hired workers (new hires) using the most current data available. None of this data is seasonally adjusted, and seasonal patterns are evident. Because the graph tracks the data on a monthly basis, it shows the dynamic nature of the labor market and indicates the level of "churning" when individuals are looking for work and employers are hiring.

The June 2017 South Dakota level of unemployed is 13,900, with a corresponding unemployment rate of 3.0 percent. Job openings advertised by the South Dakota Department of Labor have leveled off with the exception of seasonal job postings and remain stable. The current level of job openings is 14,900.