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Marcia Hultman

Cabinet Secretary

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Labor Market Information Center

February South Dakota statewide data just released

Please note: The following data release includes February 2025 seasonally adjusted statewide labor force and both seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted statewide nonfarm data. The full release of February 2025 labor force and not seasonally adjusted nonfarm wage and salaried worker data for all areas will be April 4, with the publication of the March 2025 South Dakota e-Labor Bulletin. February 2025 not seasonally adjusted data will also be available in the virtual labor market data system at that time. The release of February 2025 seasonally adjusted labor force data for the two Metropolitan Statistical Areas is scheduled for April 9, 2025.

Labor Force

Preliminary estimates show South Dakota's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.9% in February 2025. The labor force increased over the month by 700 workers (0.1%) to 492,200 workers. The level of unemployed decreased by 100 (1.1%) to 9,200 persons unemployed.

Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
  February 2025   January 2025
Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate
United States 170,359,000 163,307,000 7,052,000 4.1% 170,744,000 163,895,000 6,849,000 4.0%
South Dakota 492,200 483,000 9,200 1.9% 491,500 482,200 9,300 1.9%
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 2025 labor force of 492,200 increased compared to the February 2024 level of 484,800. The level of employed increased by 6,600 (1.4%); the number of unemployed increased by 800 persons (9.5%). The unemployment rate increased 0.2% to 1.9%.

Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
  February 2025   February 2024
Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate
United States 170,359,000 163,307,000 7,052,000 4.1% 167,475,000 161,013,000 6,462,000 3.9%
South Dakota 492,200 483,000 9,200 1.9% 484,800 476,400 8,400 1.7%
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 2025 nonfarm worker data is preliminary and subject to revision.

Seasonally Adjusted

The seasonally adjusted nonfarm worker level decreased 300 workers (0.1%) over the month to 472,300 workers in February 2025. This loss is a result of declines in Retail Trade (600 workers or 1.1%) and Leisure and Hospitality (600 workers or 1.2%).

Over the year, the seasonally adjusted nonfarm worker level increased by 6,300 workers (1.4%), reaching 472,300 workers in February 2025. The top contributors to this growth were Health Care and Social Assistances (2,300 workers or 3.3%), Construction (1,700 workers or 5.9%), and Government (1,700 workers or 2.1%).

South Dakota
(Seasonally Adjusted)
  % Change From
  February*
2025		 January
2025 		February
2024		 Last
Month		 Last
Year
Total Nonfarm 472,300 472,600 466,000 -0.1 1.4
 Mining, Logging and Construction 31,800 31,600 30,100 0.6 5.6
   Mining and Logging 1,300 1,400 1,300 -7.1 0.0
   Construction 30,500 30,200 28,800 1.0 5.9
 Manufacturing 44,100 44,200 45,400 -0.2 -2.9
   Durable Goods   27,100 27,200 28,300 -0.4 -4.2
   Non-durable Goods 17,000 17,000 17,100 0.0 -0.6
 Trade, Transportation and Utilities 92,100 93,200 92,700 -1.2 -0.6
   Wholesale Trade 22,600 23,000 22,600 -1.7 0.0
   Retail Trade 53,700 54,300 53,900 -1.1 -0.4
   Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities 15,800 15,900 16,200 -0.6 -2.5
 Information 5,300 5,300 5,100 0.0 3.9
 Financial Activities 27,500 27,500 27,500 0.0 0.0
 Professional and Business Services 38,300 38,400 36,900 -0.3 3.8
 Private Education and Health Services 80,300 79,900 78,000 0.5 2.9
   Private Educational Services  7,600 7,700 7,600 -1.3 0.0
   Health Care and Social Assistance 72,700 72,200 70,400 0.7 3.3
 Leisure and Hospitality 50,300 50,900 50,000 -1.2 0.6
 Other Services (except Public Administration) 19,000 18,600 18,400 2.2 3.3
Government 83,600 83,000 81,900 0.7 2.1
  Federal Government 11,700 11,700 11,700 0.0 0.0
  State Government 19,400 18,800 18,300 3.2 6.0
  Local Government 52,500 52,500 51,900 0.0 1.2
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 1,300 workers (0.3%), reaching 463,500 workers in February 2025. Government had the largest over-the-month increase, adding 2,000 workers (2.4%). This growth is related to increases in State and Local Government Educational Services. This type of growth is common this time of year as establishments in Educational Services increase worker levels after winter break.

Over the year, the not seasonally adjusted worker level increased by 6,800 (1.5%) to 463,500 workers in February 2025. The largest number of workers were added within Health Care and Social Assistance (2,700 workers or 3.9%), Construction (1,800 workers or 7.1%), and Government (1,500 workers or 1.8%).

South Dakota
(Not Seasonally Adjusted)
    % Change From
February*
2025		 January
2025 		February
2024		 Last
Month		 Last
Year
Total Nonfarm 463,500 462,200 456,700 0.3 1.5
 Mining, Logging and Construction 28,500 28,400 26,700 0.4 6.7
  Mining and Logging 1,200 1,300 1,200 -7.7 0.0
  Construction 27,300 27,100 25,500 0.7 7.1
   Construction of Buildings 7,000 7,000 6,600 0.0 6.1
   Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 3,800 3,800 3,400 0.0 11.8
   Specialty Trade Contractors 16,500 16,300 15,500 1.2 6.5
 Manufacturing 44,200 44,100 45,400 0.2 -2.6
   Durable Goods 27,300 27,100 28,300 0.7 -3.5
   Non-Durable Goods 16,900 17,000 17,100 -0.6 -1.2
 Trade, Transportation and Utilities 90,800 92,200 91,100 -1.5 -0.3
   Wholesale Trade 22,300 22,800 22,300 -2.2 0.0
   Retail Trade 53,000 53,800 52,900 -1.5 0.2
   Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities 15,500 15,600 15,900 -0.6 -2.5
 Information 5,300 5,300 5,100 0.0 3.9
 Financial Activities 27,400 27,400 27,300 0.0 0.4
 Professional and Business Services 37,500 37,400 36,100 0.3 3.9
 Private Education and Health Services 80,600 79,300 78,100 1.6 3.2
   Private Educational Services  8,000 7,400 8,200 8.1 -2.4
   Health Care and Social Assistance 72,600 71,900 69,900 1.0 3.9
     Hospitals 29,200 29,000 28,100 0.7 3.9
 Leisure and Hospitality 46,500 47,500 46,300 -2.1 0.4
 Other Services (except Public Administration) 18,700 18,600 18,100 0.5 3.3
Government 84,000 82,000 82,500 2.4 1.8
  Federal Government 11,500 11,600 11,600 -0.9 -0.9
  State Government 20,100 18,400 18,900 9.2 6.3
     State Government Educational Services 9,900 8,800 10,000 12.5 -1.0
  Local Government 52,400 52,000 52,000 0.8 0.8
     Local Government Educational Services 29,100 28,700 28,900 1.4 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 February 2025 data in the tables and narrative above is preliminary and subject to revision.

A more comprehensive overview of the labor market in February 2025, including substate labor force and nonfarm industry data, will be available April 4 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.