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Marcia Hultman

Cabinet Secretary

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Labor Market Information Center

Economic Snapshot


South Dakota and United States Labor Force
Seasonally Adjusted

March
2026		 February
2026		 March
2025		 Percent Change
Last
Month		 Last
Year
United States
Labor Force 170,087,000 170,483,000 170,641,000 -0.2% -0.3%
Employment 162,848,000 162,912,000 163,509,000 0.0% -0.4%
Unemployment 7,239,000 7,571,000 7,132,000 -4.4% 1.5%
Unemployment Rate 4.3% 4.4% 4.2%    

February
2026		 January
2026		 February
2025		 Percent Change
Last
Month		 Last
Year
South Dakota
Labor Force 492,800 493,500 489,900 -0.1% 0.6%
Employment 481,700 482,500 480,200 -0.2% 0.3%
Unemployment 11,100 11,000 9,700 0.9% 14.4%
Unemployment Rate 2.3% 2.2% 2.0%    
South Dakota Nonfarm Wage and Salary Employment
Seasonally Adjusted
  February
2026		 January
2026		 February
2025		 Percent Change
Last
Month		 Last
Year
Total Nonfarm 470,600 470,000 468,900 0.1% 0.4%
Mining, Logging and Construction 31,100 31,000 31,100 0.3% 0.0%
  Mining and Logging 1,300 1,200 1,100 8.3% 18.2%
  Construction 29,800 29,800 30,000 0.0% -0.7%
Manufacturing 43,900 43,900 44,300 0.0% -0.9%
  Durable Goods 27,200 27,200 27,300 0.0% -0.4%
  Non-Durable Goods 16,700 16,700 17,000 0.0% -1.8%
Trade, Transportation and Utilities 91,600 91,600 92,500 0.0% -1.0%
  Wholesale Trade 22,100 22,000 22,400 0.5% -1.3%
  Retail Trade 53,500 53,200 54,000 0.6% -0.9%
  Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities 16,000 16,400 16,100 -2.4% -0.6%
Information 4,800 4,800 5,100 0.0% -5.9%
Financial Activities 26,800 27,000 27,500 -0.7% -2.5%
Professional and Business Services 37,000 36,600 37,400 1.1% -1.1%
Private Education and Health Services 80,800 81,200 79,800 -0.5% 1.3%
  Private Educational Services 7,800 8,000 7,700 -2.5% 1.3%
  Health Care and Social Assistance 73,000 73,200 72,100 -0.3% 1.2%
Leisure and Hospitality 54,400 54,100 50,600 0.6% 7.5%
Other Services (except Public Administration) 18,900 18,800 18,500 0.5% 2.2%
Government 81,300 81,000 82,100 0.4% -1.0%
  Federal Government 10,800 10,700 11,700 0.9% -7.7%
  State Government 18,400 18,400 18,300 0.0% 0.5%
  Local Government 52,100 51,900 52,100 0.4% 0.0%
Preliminary data; subject to revision. 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.
Source: Labor Market Information Center, South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



South Dakota Metro Area Labor Force
Seasonally Adjusted
  January
2026		 December
2025		 January
2025		 Percent Change
Last
Month		 Last
Year
Rapid City Metropolitan Statistical Area
Labor Force 82,000 81,800 81,200 0.2% 1.0%
Employment 80,200 80,100 79,700 0.1% 0.6%
Unemployment 1,700 1,700 1,500 0.0% 13.3%
Unemployment Rate 2.1% 2.1% 1.8%    
Sioux Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area
Labor Force 176,600 176,500 176,100 0.1% 0.3%
Employment 172,900 172,800 173,000 0.1% -0.1%
Unemployment 3,800 3,700 3,100 2.7% 22.6%
Unemployment Rate 2.1% 2.1% 1.8%    
Preliminary data; subject to revision. 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.
Source: Labor Market Information Center, South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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