Marcia Hultman

Cabinet Secretary

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Labor Market Information Center

May South Dakota statewide data released

Please note: The following data release includes May 2025 seasonally adjusted statewide labor force and both seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted statewide nonfarm data. The full release of May 2025 labor force and not seasonally adjusted nonfarm wage and salaried worker data for all areas will be June 27, with the publication of the June 2025 South Dakota e-Labor Bulletin. May 2025 not seasonally adjusted data will also be available in the virtual labor market data system at that time. The release of May 2025 seasonally adjusted labor force data for the two Metropolitan Statistical Areas is scheduled for July 2, 2025.

Labor Force

Preliminary estimates show South Dakota's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.8% in May 2025. The labor force increased over the month by 300 workers (0.1%) to 493,900 workers. The level of unemployed remained steady with 9,000 persons unemployed.

Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
	May 2025				April 2025
	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Rate	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Rate
United States	170,510,000	163,273,000	7,237,000	4.2%	171,135,000	163,969,000	7,166,000	4.2%
South Dakota	493,900	484,800	9,000	1.8%	493,600	484,600	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

South Dakota's May 2025 labor force of 493,900 increased compared to the May 2024 level of 487,300. The level of employed increased by 6,300 (1.3%); the number of unemployed increased by 300 persons (3.4%). The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.8%.

Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
	May 2025				May 2024
	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Rate	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Rate
United States	170,510,000	163,273,000	7,237,000	4.2%	167,799,000	161,164,000	6,635,000	4.0%
South Dakota	493,900	484,800	9,000	1.8%	487,300	478,500	8,700	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 May 2025 nonfarm worker data is preliminary and subject to revision.

Seasonally Adjusted

The seasonally adjusted nonfarm worker level decreased 700 workers (0.1%) over the month to 471,800 workers in May 2025. Professional and Business Services contributed to this decline, dropping 600 workers (1.6%) over the month. This loss is a result of small drops spread throughout many of the establishments in this supersector.

Over the year, the seasonally adjusted nonfarm worker level increased by 3,700 workers (0.8%), reaching 471,800 workers in May 2025. Gains in Construction (1,900 workers or 6.6%), Government (1,300 workers and 1.6%), and Health Care and Social Assistance (1,200 workers or 1.7%) were the driving force to this growth.

South Dakota (Seasonally Adjusted)
				% Change From
	May* 2025	April 2025	May 2024	Last Month	Last Year
Total Nonfarm	471,800	472,500	468,100	-0.1	0.8
Mining, Logging and Construction	32,200	32,300	30,200	-0.3	6.6
Mining and Logging	1,300	1,300	1,200	0.0	8.3
Construction	30,900	31,000	29,000	-0.3	6.6
Manufacturing	43,900	44,000	45,500	-0.2	-3.5
Durable Goods	27,200	27,300	28,200	-0.4	-3.5
Non-durable Goods	16,700	16,700	17,300	0.0	-3.5
Trade, Transportation and Utilities	92,700	92,300	92,400	0.4	0.3
Wholesale Trade	22,700	22,600	22,600	0.4	0.4
Retail Trade	54,300	54,100	53,900	0.4	0.7
Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities	15,700	15,600	15,900	0.6	-1.3
Information	5,300	5,300	5,100	0.0	3.9
Financial Activities	27,400	27,400	27,500	0.0	-0.4
Professional and Business Services	37,500	38,100	37,400	-1.6	0.3
Private Education and Health Services	80,000	80,100	79,100	-0.1	1.1
Private Educational Services	7,300	7,400	7,600	-1.4	-3.9
Health Care and Social Assistance	72,700	72,700	71,500	0.0	1.7
Leisure and Hospitality	50,500	50,700	50,200	-0.4	0.6
Other Services (except Public Administration)	18,900	19,100	18,600	-1.0	1.6
Government	83,400	83,200	82,100	0.2	1.6
Federal Government	11,400	11,600	11,700	-1.7	-2.6
State Government	19,200	19,100	18,200	0.5	5.5
Local Government	52,800	52,500	52,200	0.6	1.1
*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 6,800 workers (1.5%), reaching 475,600 workers in May 2025. This gain was primarily related to strong seasonal hiring in Leisure and Hospitality (3,900 workers or 8.1%) and Construction (1,100 workers or 3.7%).

Over the year, the not seasonally adjusted worker level increased by 2,200 (0.5%) to 475,600 workers in May 2025. The largest number of jobs were added within Construction (1,300 workers or 4.4%), Government (1,300 workers or 1.5%), and Health Care and Social Assistance (1,100 workers or 1.5%).

South Dakota (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
				% Change From
	May* 2025	April 2025	May 2024	Last Month	Last Year
Total Nonfarm	475,600	468,800	473,400	1.5	0.5
Mining, Logging and Construction	32,400	31,300	31,100	3.5	4.2
Mining and Logging	1,300	1,300	1,300	0.0	0.0
Construction	31,100	30,000	29,800	3.7	4.4
Construction of Buildings	7,800	7,600	7,100	2.6	9.9
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	5,200	4,600	4,900	13.0	6.1
Specialty Trade Contractors	18,100	17,800	17,800	1.7	1.7
Manufacturing	43,700	44,000	45,500	-0.7	-4.0
Durable Goods	27,200	27,400	28,200	-0.7	-3.5
Non-Durable Goods	16,500	16,600	17,300	-0.6	-4.6
Trade, Transportation and Utilities	92,900	91,300	92,800	1.8	0.1
Wholesale Trade	23,100	22,600	22,800	2.2	1.3
Retail Trade	54,300	53,500	54,100	1.5	0.4
Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities	15,500	15,200	15,900	2.0	-2.5
Information	5,300	5,200	5,100	1.9	3.9
Financial Activities	27,300	27,200	27,500	0.4	-0.7
Professional and Business Services	37,700	38,100	37,700	-1.0	0.0
Private Education and Health Services	80,100	80,300	79,400	-0.2	0.9
Private Educational Services	7,500	7,900	7,900	-5.1	-5.1
Health Care and Social Assistance	72,600	72,400	71,500	0.3	1.5
Hospitals	29,100	29,100	28,700	0.0	1.4
Leisure and Hospitality	52,100	48,200	51,800	8.1	0.6
Other Services (except Public Administration)	18,900	19,100	18,600	-1.0	1.6
Government	85,200	84,100	83,900	1.3	1.5
Federal Government	11,500	11,600	11,800	-0.9	-2.5
State Government	19,500	19,700	18,500	-1.0	5.4
State Government Educational Services	9,800	10,000	9,600	-2.0	2.1
Local Government	54,200	52,800	53,600	2.7	1.1
Local Government Educational Services	29,000	29,200	28,800	-0.7	0.7
*Source:* Labor Market Information Center, South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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

A more comprehensive overview of the labor market in May 2025, including substate labor force and nonfarm industry data, will be available June 27 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.