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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

May
2026		 April
2026		 May
2025		 Percent Change
Last
Month		 Last
Year
United States
Labor Force 170,078,000 169,995,000 170,492,000 0.0% -0.2%
Employment 162,771,000 162,622,000 163,244,000 0.1% -0.3%
Unemployment 7,307,000 7,373,000 7,248,000 -0.9% 0.8%
Unemployment Rate 4.3% 4.3% 4.3%    

May
2026		 April
2026		 May
2025		 Percent Change
Last
Month		 Last
Year
South Dakota
Labor Force 489,900 490,700 491,200 -0.2% -0.3%
Employment 479,600 480,000 481,400 -0.1% -0.4%
Unemployment 10,300 10,700 9,800 -3.7% 5.1%
Unemployment Rate 2.1% 2.2% 2.0%    
South Dakota Nonfarm Wage and Salary Employment
Seasonally Adjusted
  May
2026		 April
2026		 May
2025		 Percent Change
Last
Month		 Last
Year
Total Nonfarm 471,300 469,900 470,000 0.3% 0.3%
Mining, Logging and Construction 31,900 31,200 31,000 2.2% 2.9%
  Mining and Logging 1,200 1,200 1,100 0.0% 9.1%
  Construction 30,700 30,000 29,900 2.3% 2.7%
Manufacturing 43,800 43,700 44,500 0.2% -1.6%
  Durable Goods 27,300 27,200 27,400 0.4% -0.4%
  Non-Durable Goods 16,500 16,500 17,100 0.0% -3.5%
Trade, Transportation and Utilities 91,800 91,300 92,700 0.5% -1.0%
  Wholesale Trade 22,200 22,300 22,400 -0.4% -0.9%
  Retail Trade 53,600 53,100 53,800 0.9% -0.4%
  Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities 16,000 15,900 16,500 0.6% -3.0%
Information 4,900 4,900 5,100 0.0% -3.9%
Financial Activities 27,000 27,000 27,300 0.0% -1.1%
Professional and Business Services 36,500 36,700 37,300 -0.5% -2.1%
Private Education and Health Services 81,500 81,400 80,200 0.1% 1.6%
  Private Educational Services 7,700 7,800 7,700 -1.3% 0.0%
  Health Care and Social Assistance 73,800 73,600 72,500 0.3% 1.8%
Leisure and Hospitality 54,000 53,900 51,400 0.2% 5.1%
Other Services (except Public Administration) 19,000 18,900 18,600 0.5% 2.2%
Government 80,900 80,900 81,900 0.0% -1.2%
  Federal Government 10,600 10,600 11,400 0.0% -7.0%
  State Government 18,300 18,400 18,600 -0.5% -1.6%
  Local Government 52,000 51,900 51,900 0.2% 0.2%
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
  April
2026		 March
2026		 April
2025		 Percent Change
Last
Month		 Last
Year
Rapid City Metropolitan Statistical Area
Labor Force 81,800 82,000 80,500 -0.2% 1.6%
Employment 80,200 80,300 79,000 -0.1% 1.5%
Unemployment 1,700 1,700 1,600 0.0% 6.3%
Unemployment Rate 2.0% 2.1% 1.9%    
Sioux Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area
Labor Force 177,600 177,800 178,100 -0.1% -0.3%
Employment 173,800 173,900 174,800 -0.1% -0.6%
Unemployment 3,800 3,900 3,400 -2.6% 11.8%
Unemployment Rate 2.1% 2.2% 1.9%    
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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