Marcia Hultman

Cabinet Secretary

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Labor Market Information Center

February South Dakota statewide data released

Please note: The following data release includes February 2026 seasonally adjusted statewide labor force and both seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted statewide nonfarm data. The full release of February 2026 labor force and not seasonally adjusted nonfarm wage and salaried worker data for all areas will be April 24, with the publication of the South Dakota e-Labor Bulletin. February 2026 labor force and not seasonally adjusted nonfarm data will also be available in the virtual labor market data system at that time. The release of February 2026 seasonally adjusted labor force data for the two Metropolitan Statistical Areas is scheduled for April 29, 2026.

Labor Force

Preliminary estimates show South Dakota's unemployment rate increased 0.1 to 2.3% in February 2026. The labor force decreased over the month by 700 workers (0.1%) to 492,800 workers and the level of unemployed increased by 100 (0.9%) to 11,100 persons.

Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
	February 2026				January 2026
	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Rate	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Rate
United States	170,483,000	162,912,000	7,571,000	4.4%	170,465,000	163,097,000	7,368,000	4.3%
South Dakota	492,800	481,700	11,100	2.3%	493,500	482,500	11,000	2.2%
*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 February 2026 labor force of 492,800 increased compared to the February 2025 level of 489,900. The level of employed increased by 1,500 persons; the number of unemployed increased by 1,400 persons (14.4%). The unemployment rate increased 0.3% to 2.3%.

Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
	February 2026				February 2025
	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Rate	Labor Force	Employed	Unemployed	Rate
United States	170,483,000	162,912,000	7,571,000	4.4%	170,441,000	163,338,000	7,104,000	4.2%
South Dakota	492,800	481,700	11,100	2.3%	489,900	480,200	9,700	2.0%
*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 February 2026 nonfarm worker data is preliminary and subject to revision.

Seasonally Adjusted

The seasonally adjusted nonfarm worker level increased 600 workers (0.1%) over the month to 470,600 in February 2026. Professional & Business Services had the largest over-the-month gain, increasing 400 workers (1.1%).

Over the year, the seasonally adjusted nonfarm worker level increased by 1,700 workers (0.4%), reaching 470,600 in February 2026. Increases in Leisure & Hospitality (3,800 workers or 7.5%), Health Care & Social Assistance (900 workers or 1.2%), and Other Sevices (400 workers or 2.2%) were the largest driving forces of this increase.

South Dakota (Seasonally Adjusted)
				% Change From
	February* 2026	January 2026	February 2025	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
*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 2,100 (0.5%), increasing to 461,000 workers in February 2026. The largest over-the-month gain was in Government, increasing by 1,700 workers (2.1%), and in Professional & Business Services, increasing by 600 workers or (1.7%).

Over the year, the not seasonally adjusted worker level increased by 2,000 (0.4%) to 461,000 workers in February 2026. The largest number of jobs were added within Leisure & Hospitality (3,800 workers or 8.1%), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,100 workers or 1.5%), and Other Services (500 workers or 2.7%).

South Dakota (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
				% Change From
	February* 2026	January 2026	February 2025	Last Month	Last Year
Total Nonfarm	461,000	458,900	459,000	0.5	0.4
Mining, Logging and Construction	27,500	27,600	27,300	-0.4	0.7
Mining and Logging	1,200	1,200	1,000	0.0	20.0
Construction	26,300	26,400	26,300	-0.4	0.0
Construction of Buildings	6,200	6,400	6,700	-3.1	-7.5
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	3,900	3,900	3,600	0.0	8.3
Specialty Trade Contractors	16,200	16,100	16,000	0.6	1.3
Manufacturing	43,900	43,700	44,200	0.5	-0.7
Durable Goods	27,200	27,000	27,200	0.7	0.0
Non-Durable Goods	16,700	16,700	17,000	0.0	-1.8
Trade, Transportation and Utilities	90,200	90,300	91,000	-0.1	-0.9
Wholesale Trade	21,900	21,600	22,100	1.4	-0.9
Retail Trade	52,600	52,500	53,100	0.2	-0.9
Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities	15,700	16,200	15,800	-3.1	-0.6
Information	4,800	4,800	5,100	0.0	-5.9
Financial Activities	26,600	26,900	27,300	-1.1	-2.6
Professional and Business Services	36,100	35,500	36,500	1.7	-1.1
Private Education and Health Services	81,000	80,900	79,900	0.1	1.4
Private Educational Services	8,300	7,900	8,300	5.1	0.0
Health Care and Social Assistance	72,700	73,000	71,600	-0.4	1.5
Hospitals	28,600	28,500	28,300	0.4	1.1
Leisure and Hospitality	50,600	50,600	46,800	0.0	8.1
Other Services (except Public Administration)	18,700	18,700	18,200	0.0	2.7
Government	81,600	79,900	82,700	2.1	-1.3
Federal Government	10,700	10,600	11,600	0.9	-7.8
State Government	18,900	17,900	18,800	5.6	0.5
State Government Educational Services	9,900	8,900	9,900	11.2	0.0
Local Government	52,000	51,400	52,300	1.2	-0.6
Local Government Educational Services	28,900	28,400	29,200	1.8	-1.0
*Source:* Labor Market Information Center, South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

*Note: All February 2026 data in the tables and narrative above is preliminary and subject to revision.

A more comprehensive overview of the labor market in February 2026, including nonfarm industry data, will be available April 24 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.