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Labor Market Information Center
Pandemic Picture: Impacts on the Labor Market
The following is a look back at how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted South Dakota's labor economy, using the following key data sets.
- Labor Force (including unemployment rate)
- Nonfarm Worker Levels
- Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
By March 2022, trends in each of these data sets showed South Dakota had recovered from the pandemic's impacts. In each case, March 2022 employment levels were as high or even higher than they were when the pandemic struck. This Pandemic Picture page was archived at that point and has not been updated since. If you have questions or would like similar information, please contact us.
Labor Force
Updated monthly; last updated April 22, 2022.
- By March 2022, the unemployment rate in South Dakota was back to pre-pandemic levels at 2.5%.
- South Dakota's labor force and employment each grew by more than 13,000 from March 2020 when the pandemic first struck to March 2022.
Read more analysis of labor force data during the pandemic in South Dakota. Monthly labor force data can be found in the virtual labor market data system using the link and instructions available from our Labor Force menu page.
Nonfarm Wage & Salaried Workers by Industry
Updated monthly; last updated April 22, 2022.
- The March 2022 estimates showed South Dakota establishments had more than recouped (101.2%) the workforce they had when the pandemic struck in March 2020.
- The pandemic's greatest impact on South Dakota nonfarm worker levels occurred from March to April 2020, with an unprecedented drop of 41,900 workers (9.5%).
- Nonfarm employment began bouncing back quite sharply from April to October 2020. Although the rate of then growth slowed and there were even a few slight month-to-month declines, the overall trend was upward--back to and exceeding pre-pandemic worker levels.
Read more analysis of nonfarm worker data during the pandemic in South Dakota. Monthly nonfarm worker data can be found in the virtual labor market data system using the link and instructions available from our Nonfarm Workers menu page
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
Updated quarterly; last updated April 28, 2022.
- While employment levels started out strong in early 2020 before the pandemic hit South Dakota, employers reported nearly 34,000 fewer workers in April than for March.
- June 2021 brought the highest monthly employment level recorded since the pandemic struck, nearly reaching a historical high of 442,632. Although employment declined slightly after that, QCEW data for March 2022 still indicated South Dakota had rebounded from the pandemic's greatest blows. The December 2021 (most current data available) worker level of 435,500 was 103.5% of the March 2020 level.
- COVID-19's impact on the total number of establishments reporting employment and wages was not nearly as severe overall as on employment levels. In fact, the reported number of establishments reached a historical high of 37,634 in the fourth quarter of 2021.
| South Dakota Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages |
Month |
Employment |
| January 2020 | 420,694 |
| February 2020 | 421,268 |
| March 2020 | 420,863 |
| April 2020 | 387,234 |
| May 2020 | 402,494 |
| June 2020 | 415,888 |
| July 2020 | 418,700 |
| August 2020 | 422,802 |
| September 2020 | 422,468 |
| October 2020 | 426,022 |
| November 2020 | 422,981 |
| December 2020 | 423,927 |
| January 2021 | 412,387 |
| February 2021 | 413,202 |
| March 2021 | 417,392 |
| April 2021 | 425,468 |
| May 2021 | 434,662 |
| June 2021 | 442,632 |
| July 2021 | 439,781 |
| August 2021 | 440,118 |
| September 2021 | 435,729 |
| October 2021* | 436,832 |
| November 2021* | 435,846 |
| December 2021* | 435,495 |
| Actual Change from March 2020 to Most Current Data |
14,632 |
| Percent Change from March 2020 to Most Current Data |
3.5% |
| *Preliminary data; subject to revision. Source: Labor Market Information Center, SD Department of Labor and Regulation in cooperation with U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
|
| South Dakota Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages | |||
| Month | Number of Establishments | Average Employment |
Average Weekly Wages |
| First Quarter 2020 (January through March) |
34,642 | 420,942 | $901 |
| Second Quarter 2020 (April through June) | 34,659 | 401,872 | $912 |
| Third Quarter 2020 (July through September) |
35,166 | 421,323 | $918 |
| Fourth Quarter 2020 (October through December) |
35,501 | 424,310 | $1,048 |
| First Quarter 2021 (January through March) |
35,646 | 414,327 | $932 |
| Second Quarter 2021 (Apri through June) |
36,284 | 434,254 | $936 |
| Third Quarter 2021 (July through September) |
36,990 | 438,543 | $965 |
| Fourth Quarter 2021* (October through December) |
37,618 | 436,058 | $1,108 |
| Actual Change from First Quarter 2020 to Fourth Quarter 2021 |
2,976 | 15,116 | $207 |
| Percent Change from First Quarter 2020 to Fourth Quarter 2021 |
8.6% | 3.6% | 23.0% |
| *Preliminary data; subject to revision. Source: Labor Market Information Center, SD Department of Labor and Regulation in cooperation with U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
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Learn more about the QCEW program and the availability of data since the pandemic began.