Marcia Hultman

Cabinet Secretary

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Labor Market Information Center

August South Dakota statewide data released

Please note: The following data release includes August 2025 seasonally adjusted statewide labor force and both seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted statewide nonfarm data. The full release of August 2025 labor force and not seasonally adjusted nonfarm wage and salaried worker data for all areas will be September 26, with the publication of the September 2025 South Dakota e-Labor Bulletin. August 2025 not seasonally adjusted data will also be available in the virtual labor market data system at that time. The release of August 2025 seasonally adjusted labor force data for the two Metropolitan Statistical Areas is scheduled for Oct. 1, 2025.

Labor Force

Preliminary estimates show South Dakota's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.9% in August 2025. The labor force decreased over the month by 600 workers (0.1%) to 492,700 workers. The level of unemployed increased by 300 (3.3%) to 9,400 persons unemployed.

Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
	August 2025				July 2025
	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Rate	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Rate
United States	170,778,000	163,394,000	7,384,000	4.3%	170,342,000	163,106,000	7,236,000	4.2%
South Dakota	492,700	483,300	9,400	1.9%	493,300	484,100	9,100	1.9%
*Source:* Labor Market Information Center, South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

South Dakota's August 2025 labor force of 492,700 increased compared to the August 2024 level of 490,000. The level of employed increased by 2,300 (0.5%); the number of unemployed increased by 400 persons (4.4%). The unemployment rate increased 0.1% to 1.9%.

Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
	August 2025				August 2024
	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Rate	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Rate
United States	170,778,000	163,394,000	7,384,000	4.3%	168,496,000	161,425,000	7,071,000	4.2%
South Dakota	492,700	483,300	9,400	1.9%	490,000	481,000	9,000	1.8%
*Source:* Labor Market Information Center, South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

The unemployment rate represents the number of unemployed as a percentage of the labor force. People are classified as unemployed if they do not have jobs, have actively looked for work in the prior four weeks and are currently available for work. People who were not working and were waiting to be recalled to jobs from which they were temporarily laid off are also included as unemployed.

Note: The published unemployment rate presented above may not equal the percentage calculated using the published unemployed and labor force figures presented above due to rounding.

Nonfarm wage & salaried workers

The August 2025 nonfarm worker data is preliminary and subject to revision.

Seasonally Adjusted

The seasonally adjusted nonfarm worker level decreased 100 workers (0.0%) over the month to 471,800 workers in August 2025. This decline was the net result of a mixture of increases and decreases throughout the industries.

Over the year, the seasonally adjusted nonfarm worker level increased by 4,300 workers (0.9%), reaching 471,800 workers in August 2025. Gains in Construction (1,500 workers or 5.1%), Government (1,400 workers or 1.7%), and Professional and Business Services (1,200 workers or 3.2%) were the driving force to this growth.

South Dakota (Seasonally Adjusted)
				% Change From
	August* 2025	July 2025	August 2024	Last Month	Last Year
Total Nonfarm	471,800	471,900	467,500	0.0	0.9
Mining, Logging and Construction	32,100	31,700	30,500	1.3	5.2
Mining and Logging	1,300	1,300	1,200	0.0	8.3
Construction	30,800	30,400	29,300	1.3	5.1
Manufacturing	44,100	44,200	45,100	-0.2	-2.2
Durable Goods	27,500	27,600	27,900	-0.4	-1.4
Non-durable Goods	16,600	16,600	17,200	0.0	-3.5
Trade, Transportation and Utilities	92,200	92,100	92,400	0.1	-0.2
Wholesale Trade	22,700	22,700	22,600	0.0	0.4
Retail Trade	54,000	53,800	54,200	0.4	-0.4
Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities	15,500	15,600	15,600	-0.6	-0.6
Information	5,200	5,300	5,100	-1.9	2.0
Financial Activities	27,600	27,700	27,500	-0.4	0.4
Professional and Business Services	38,600	38,200	37,400	1.0	3.2
Private Education and Health Services	79,300	80,000	79,200	-0.9	0.1
Private Educational Services	7,000	7,100	7,500	-1.4	-6.7
Health Care and Social Assistance	72,300	72,900	71,700	-0.8	0.8
Leisure and Hospitality	50,400	50,900	50,100	-1.0	0.6
Other Services (except Public Administration)	19,200	19,200	18,500	0.0	3.8
Government	83,100	82,600	81,700	0.6	1.7
Federal Government	11,400	11,400	11,800	0.0	-3.4
State Government	19,200	19,100	18,300	0.5	4.9
Local Government	52,500	52,100	51,600	0.8	1.7
*Source:* Labor Market Information Center, South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

The table above shows the seasonally adjusted data. A table displaying the not seasonally adjusted data can be found below. Visit our technical notes page for an explanation of seasonal adjustment.

Not Seasonally Adjusted

Over the month, the not seasonally adjusted nonfarm wage and salaried worker level increased by 700 workers (0.1%), jumping to 476,900 workers in August 2025. Government had the largest over-the-month gain, adding 900 workers (1.2%). Gains in State and Local Government Educational Services accounted for majority of the growth within Government.

Over the year, the not seasonally adjusted worker level increased by 4,400 (0.9%) to 476,900 workers in August 2025. The largest number of jobs were added within Construction (1,500 workers or 4.7%), Professional and Business Services (1,300 workers or 3.4%), and Government (1,200 workers or 1.5%).

South Dakota (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
				% Change From
	August* 2025	July 2025	August 2024	Last Month	Last Year
Total Nonfarm	476,900	476,200	472,500	0.1	0.9
Mining, Logging and Construction	34,400	34,300	32,900	0.3	4.6
Mining and Logging	1,300	1,400	1,300	-7.1	0.0
Construction	33,100	32,900	31,600	0.6	4.7
Construction of Buildings	8,400	8,400	7,800	0.0	7.7
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	5,600	5,600	5,400	0.0	3.7
Specialty Trade Contractors	19,100	18,900	18,400	1.1	3.8
Manufacturing	44,100	44,400	45,100	-0.7	-2.2
Durable Goods	27,500	27,700	27,900	-0.7	-1.4
Non-Durable Goods	16,600	16,700	17,200	-0.6	-3.5
Trade, Transportation and Utilities	93,300	93,300	93,100	0.0	0.2
Wholesale Trade	22,800	22,700	22,700	0.4	0.4
Retail Trade	54,900	55,100	54,900	-0.4	0.0
Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities	15,600	15,500	15,500	0.6	0.6
Information	5,300	5,300	5,200	0.0	1.9
Financial Activities	27,700	28,000	27,700	-1.1	0.0
Professional and Business Services	39,300	38,800	38,000	1.3	3.4
Private Education and Health Services	78,600	78,800	78,700	-0.3	-0.1
Private Educational Services	5,700	5,600	6,400	1.8	-10.9
Health Care and Social Assistance	72,900	73,200	72,300	-0.4	0.8
Hospitals	29,200	29,400	29,000	-0.7	0.7
Leisure and Hospitality	56,100	56,100	55,300	0.0	1.4
Other Services (except Public Administration)	19,300	19,300	18,900	0.0	2.1
Government	78,800	77,900	77,600	1.2	1.5
Federal Government	11,500	11,400	11,800	0.9	-2.5
State Government	17,800	17,400	17,000	2.3	4.7
State Government Educational Services	7,500	7,100	7,400	5.6	1.4
Local Government	49,500	49,100	48,800	0.8	1.4
Local Government Educational Services	22,500	21,500	22,300	4.7	0.9
*Source:* Labor Market Information Center, South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

*Note: All August 2025 data in the tables and narrative above is preliminary and subject to revision.

A more comprehensive overview of the labor market in August 2025, including substate labor force and nonfarm industry data, will be available September 26 in the South Dakota e-Labor Bulletin published on this website. To view the current e-Labor Bulletin, click on the large "e" on our home page or subscribe to receive an email notice when a new edition is available.