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Marcia Hultman

Cabinet Secretary

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Labor Market Information Center

July South Dakota statewide data released

Please note: The following data release includes July 2026 seasonally adjusted statewide labor force and both seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted statewide nonfarm data. The full release of July 2026 labor force and not seasonally adjusted nonfarm wage and salaried worker data for all areas will be August 28, with the publication of the South Dakota e-Labor Bulletin. July 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 July 2026 seasonally adjusted labor force data for the two Metropolitan Statistical Areas is scheduled for Sept. 2, 2026.

Labor Force

Preliminary estimates show South Dakota's unemployment rate stayed the same at 2.0% in July 2026. The labor force decreased over the month by 1,500 workers (0.3%) to 487,100 workers and the level of unemployed decreased by 200 (2.0%) to 9,700 persons unemployed.

Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
  July 2026   June 2026
Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate
United States 169,094,000 162,177,000 6,916,000 4.1% 169,358,000 162,264,000 7,094,000 4.2%
South Dakota 487,100 477,400 9,700 2.0% 488,600 478,700 9,900 2.0%
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 July 2026 labor force of 487,100 decreased 5,300 (1.1%) workers compared to the July 2025 level of 492,400. The level of employed decreased by 5,000 persons (1.0%); the number of unemployed decreased 300 persons (3.0%). The unemployment rate was unchanged 2.0%.

Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
  July 2026   July 2025
Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate
United States 169,094,000 162,177,000 6,916,000 4.1% 170,412,000 163,140,000 7,272,000 4.3%
South Dakota 487,100 477,400 9,700 2.0% 492,400 482,400 10,000 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 July 2026 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 471,300 in July 2026. Professional & Business Services had the largest over-the-month gain, increasing 600 workers (1.6%).

Over the year, the seasonally adjusted nonfarm worker level increased by 1,800 workers (0.4%), reaching 471,300 in July 2026. Increases in Leisure & Hospitality (3,600 workers or 7.1%), Health Care & Social Assistance (800 workers or 1.1%), and Construction (800 workers or 2.7%) were the largest driving forces to this increase.

South Dakota
(Seasonally Adjusted)
  % Change From
  July*
2026		 June
2026		 July
2025		 Last
Month		 Last
Year
Total Nonfarm 471,300 471,400 469,500 0.0 0.4
Mining, Logging and Construction 31,700 31,600 30,900 0.3 2.6
  Mining and Logging 1,200 1,200 1,200 0.0 0.0
  Construction 30,500 30,400 29,700 0.3 2.7
Manufacturing 43,900 43,800 44,100 0.2 -0.5
  Durable Goods 27,300 27,300 27,300 0.0 0.0
  Non-durable Goods 16,600 16,500 16,800 0.6 -1.2
Trade, Transportation and Utilities 91,500 91,700 92,700 -0.2 -1.3
  Wholesale Trade 22,800 22,400 22,400 1.8 1.8
  Retail Trade 52,700 53,300 53,900 -1.1 -2.2
  Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities 16,000 16,000 16,400 0.0 -2.4
Information 4,900 5,000 5,100 -2.0 -3.9
Financial Activities 27,000 27,100 27,400 -0.4 -1.5
Professional and Business Services 37,000 36,400 37,500 1.6 -1.3
Private Education and Health Services 81,300 81,900 80,600 -0.7 0.9
  Private Educational Services 7,500 7,700 7,600 -2.6 -1.3
  Health Care and Social Assistance 73,800 74,200 73,000 -0.5 1.1
Leisure and Hospitality 54,300 54,100 50,700 0.4 7.1
Other Services (except Public Administration) 19,000 19,000 18,700 0.0 1.6
Government 80,700 80,800 81,800 -0.1 -1.3
  Federal Government 10,700 10,700 11,400 0.0 -6.1
  State Government 18,400 18,400 18,400 0.0 0.0
  Local Government 51,600 51,700 52,000 -0.2 -0.8
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 decreased by 4,700 (1.0%), decreasing to 475,700 in July 2026. The largest over-the-month gain was in Leisure & Hospitality, increasing by 1,200 workers (2.1%).

Over the year, the not seasonally adjusted worker level increased by 3,300 (0.7%) to 475,700 in July 2026. The largest number of jobs were added within Leisure & Hospitality (4,700 workers or 8.5%) and Construction (1,300 workers or 4.0%).

South Dakota
(Not Seasonally Adjusted)
    % Change From
July*
2026		 June
2026		 July
2025		 Last
Month		 Last
Year
Total Nonfarm 475,700 480,400 472,400 -1.0 0.7
Mining, Logging and Construction 34,800 34,000 33,600 2.4 3.6
  Mining and Logging 1,200 1,200 1,300 0.0 -7.7
  Construction 33,600 32,800 32,300 2.4 4.0
   Construction of Buildings 7,700 7,600 7,700 1.3 0.0
   Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 5,900 5,800 5,600 1.7 5.4
   Specialty Trade Contractors 20,000 19,400 19,000 3.1 5.3
Manufacturing 44,200 44,000 44,300 0.5 -0.2
  Durable Goods 27,600 27,500 27,500 0.4 0.4
  Non-Durable Goods 16,600 16,500 16,800 0.6 -1.2
Trade, Transportation and Utilities 92,300 92,700 93,500 -0.4 -1.3
  Wholesale Trade 23,000 22,600 22,700 1.8 1.3
  Retail Trade 53,300 54,100 54,600 -1.5 -2.4
  Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities 16,000 16,000 16,200 0.0 -1.2
Information 4,900 5,000 5,100 -2.0 -3.9
Financial Activities 27,300 27,300 27,700 0.0 -1.4
Professional and Business Services 37,600 37,000 38,300 1.6 -1.8
Private Education and Health Services 79,900 80,900 79,100 -1.2 1.0
  Private Educational Services 5,900 6,400 5,700 -7.8 3.5
  Health Care and Social Assistance 74,000 74,500 73,400 -0.7 0.8
   Hospitals 29,000 28,900 28,700 0.3 1.0
Leisure and Hospitality 59,700 58,500 55,000 2.1 8.5
Other Services (except Public Administration) 19,100 19,000 19,200 0.5 -0.5
Government 75,900 82,000 76,600 -7.4 -0.9
 Federal Government 10,600 10,800 11,400 -1.9 -7.0
 State Government 16,800 16,800 16,700 0.0 0.6
   State Government Educational Services 7,200 7,200 7,100 0.0 1.4
 Local Government 48,500 54,400 48,500 -10.8 0.0
   Local Government Educational Services 21,000 26,800 21,500 -21.6 -2.3
Source: Labor Market Information Center, South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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

A more comprehensive overview of the labor market in July 2026, including nonfarm industry data, will be available August 28 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.