I'e

Marcia Hultman

Cabinet Secretary

Font Size: A A A

Labor Market Information Center

May South Dakota statewide data released

Please note: The following data release includes May 2026 seasonally adjusted statewide labor force and both seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted statewide nonfarm data. The full release of May 2026 labor force and not seasonally adjusted nonfarm wage and salaried worker data for all areas will be June 26, with the publication of the South Dakota e-Labor Bulletin. May 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 May 2026 seasonally adjusted labor force data for the two Metropolitan Statistical Areas is scheduled for July 1, 2026.

Labor Force

Preliminary estimates show South Dakota's unemployment rate decreased to 2.1% in May 2026. The labor force decreased over the month by 800 workers (0.2%) to 489,900, and the level of unemployed decreased by 400 (3.7%) to 10,300.

Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
  May 2026   April 2026
Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate
United States 170,078,000 162,771,000 7,307,000 4.3% 169,995,000 162,622,000 7,373,000 4.3%
South Dakota 489,900 479,600 10,300 2.1% 490,700 480,000 10,700 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 May 2026 labor force of 489,900 decreased 1,300 (0.3%) compared to the May 2025 level of 491,200. The level of employed decreased by 1,800 persons (0.4%); the number of unemployed increased by 500 persons (5.1%). The unemployment rate increased 0.1% to 2.1%.

Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
  May 2026   May 2025
Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate
United States 170,078,000 162,771,000 7,307,000 4.3% 170,492,000 163,244,000 7,248,000 4.3%
South Dakota 489,900 479,600 10,300 2.1% 491,200 481,400 9,800 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 May 2026 nonfarm worker data is preliminary and subject to revision.

Seasonally Adjusted

The seasonally adjusted nonfarm worker level increased 1,400 workers (0.3%) over the month to 471,300 workers in May 2026. Construction had the largest over-the-month gain, increasing 700 workers (2.3%).

Over the year, the seasonally adjusted nonfarm worker level increased by 1,300 workers (0.3%), reaching 471,300 workers in May 2026. Increases in Leisure & Hospitality (2,600 workers or 5.1%), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,300 workers or 1.8%), and Construction (800 workers or 2.7%) were the largest driving forces to this increase.

South Dakota
(Seasonally Adjusted)
  % Change From
  May*
2026		 April
2026		 May
2025		 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
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 9,400 workers (2.0%), increasing to 475,200 workers in May 2026. The largest over-the-month gains were in Leisure & Hospitality, increasing by 4,200 workers (8.2%), and in Construction, increasing by 2,500 workers (8.7%).

Over the year, the not seasonally adjusted worker level increased by 100 (0.0%) to 475,200 workers in May 2026. The largest number of jobs were added within Leisure & Hospitality (2,300 workers or 4.3%), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,200 workers or 1.7%), and Construction (700 workers or 2.3%).

South Dakota
(Not Seasonally Adjusted)
    % Change From
May*
2026		 April
2026		 May
2025		 Last
Month		 Last
Year
Total Nonfarm 475,200 465,800 475,100 2.0 0.0
Mining, Logging and Construction 32,500 30,000 31,800 8.3 2.2
  Mining and Logging 1,200 1,200 1,200 0.0 0.0
  Construction 31,300 28,800 30,600 8.7 2.3
   Construction of Buildings 7,100 6,700 7,300 6.0 -2.7
   Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 5,500 4,900 5,200 12.2 5.8
   Specialty Trade Contractors 18,700 17,200 18,100 8.7 3.3
Manufacturing 43,700 43,600 44,500 0.2 -1.8
  Durable Goods 27,200 27,100 27,500 0.4 -1.1
  Non-Durable Goods 16,500 16,500 17,000 0.0 -2.9
Trade, Transportation and Utilities 91,800 90,300 93,000 1.7 -1.3
  Wholesale Trade 22,500 22,300 22,600 0.9 -0.4
  Retail Trade 53,500 52,500 53,900 1.9 -0.7
  Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities 15,800 15,500 16,500 1.9 -4.2
Information 4,900 4,900 5,100 0.0 -3.9
Financial Activities 26,900 26,800 27,300 0.4 -1.5
Professional and Business Services 36,500 36,800 37,700 -0.8 -3.2
Private Education and Health Services 81,900 81,700 80,600 0.2 1.6
  Private Educational Services 8,200 8,300 8,100 -1.2 1.2
  Health Care and Social Assistance 73,700 73,400 72,500 0.4 1.7
   Hospitals 28,700 28,600 28,300 0.3 1.4
Leisure and Hospitality 55,200 51,000 52,900 8.2 4.3
Other Services (except Public Administration) 18,900 18,900 18,600 0.0 1.6
Government 82,900 81,800 83,600 1.3 -0.8
 Federal Government 10,700 10,600 11,500 0.9 -7.0
 State Government 18,700 19,000 18,800 -1.6 -0.5
   State Government Educational Services 9,700 10,000 9,800 -3.0 -1.0
 Local Government 53,500 52,200 53,300 2.5 0.4
   Local Government Educational Services 28,600 28,800 28,900 -0.7 -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 May 2026 data in the tables and narrative above is preliminary and subject to revision.

A more comprehensive overview of the labor market in May 2026, including nonfarm industry data, will be available May 26 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.