Feb. 3, 2025

The unemployment rate in the Sioux Falls metro area rose to 1.9 percent in December from 1.5 percent in November.

For the Sioux Falls metro area, which includes Minnehaha, Lincoln, McCook and Turner counties, the 1.9 percent rate represents 3,103 unemployed people, according to the South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation. In November, the number of unemployed was 2,561.

The jobless rate, which is not seasonally adjusted and is preliminary, represents residents who do not have jobs, have actively looked for one in the past four weeks and are available to work. It also includes those who have been laid off temporarily.

The total labor force for the Sioux Falls MSA, those who are employed and unemployed, was 166,544 in December, a slight dip from 166,590 the previous month.

A year ago, the metro area jobless rate was 1.8 percent, with 2,931 people who were unemployed out of a labor force of 164,490.

The labor supply, those who would be available to staff a new or expanding business, was estimated at 17,750 people in the metro area, up from 17,160 in November. That includes people who are not working and those who would like to change jobs.

The number of job openings in the Sioux Falls MSA dropped to 11,679 in December, according to the state’s virtual labor market data system. There were 13,477 open positions the previous month. A year ago, there were 12,665 openings.

Nonfarm wage and salaried worker levels in the Sioux Falls MSA rose by 200 people to 172,000 from November to December. The biggest percentage increase was in the information category, which rose 4 percent, or 100 jobs. Financial activities saw a 3 percent increase, or 400 jobs.

The category of mining, logging and construction saw the biggest percentage decline at 2.3 percent, a loss of 300 jobs.

Compared with a year ago, overall nonfarm wage and salaried worker levels were down by 1,400 workers in the MSA.

South Dakota’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 1.9 percent in December and once again was the lowest rate in the country, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The next-lowest rates were Vermont at 2.4 percent and North Dakota, which rose to 2.5 percent from 2.4 percent the previous month. Nevada had the highest jobless rate at 5.7 percent.

South Dakota’s jobless rate, which is seasonally adjusted, represents 9,200 people who do not have jobs, have actively looked for one in the past four weeks and are available to work, along with those laid off temporarily, according to the state Labor Department. A year ago, the rate was 2.1 percent, and there were 9,900 unemployed South Dakotans.

In December, South Dakota’s labor force rose by 1,000 people to 487,200 from the previous month. A year ago, it was 481,700.

The labor supply, those who would be available to staff a new or expanding business, was estimated at 51,380 people. That’s up from 50,330 in November and includes people who are not working and those who would like to change jobs.

The national unemployment rate dipped to 4.1 percent in December from 4.2 percent in November. A year ago, the rate was 3.8 percent.