Dec. 9, 2021

The unemployment rate for the Sioux Falls metro area nudged higher in October to 2 percent, compared with 1.9 percent in September, which was a 21-year low.

The jobless rate represents 3,203 residents in the four-county MSA who do not have jobs, have actively looked for one in the past four weeks and are available to work. The total labor force, those who are employed and unemployed, is 159,149, according to statistics from the South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation.

In September, there were 2,970 people who were unemployed out of a labor force of 158,032.

In October 2020, the unemployment rate was 2.9 percent, and there were 4,532 people who were out of work.

Nonfarm wage and salaried worker levels in the metro area rose from September to October by 400 people to 161,400, a gain of less than 1 percent. Education and health services saw the biggest gain at 3.7 percent, an increase of 1,300 workers from September. The subcategory of retail trade saw a 1.1 percent gain, which was 200 more workers.

The biggest percentage decline was government jobs at 4 percent, a loss of 600 workers to 14,400. Leisure and hospitality saw the second-largest drop at 2.8 percent, losing 400 workers.

Compared with a year ago, nonfarm wage and salaried worker levels are up 2.6 percent in the Sioux Falls metro area.

According to South Dakota Works, the Labor Department’s listing of job openings, there are more than 7,000 available positions in Sioux Falls. Sanford Health has the most with 1,335 jobs, and Avera is next with 480 jobs.

Across South Dakota, there were 32,000 job openings in September, compared with 27,000 in August, a 5 percent increase, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

More South Dakotans are sticking with their jobs compared with the national average, according to the bureau. While the number of Americans who quit their jobs rose 164 percent from August to September, South Dakota saw a 3 percent decline.

The state’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 2.8 percent in October, down from 2.9 percent in September. That represents 13,300 people who do not have jobs, have actively looked for one in the past four weeks and are available to work. A year ago, the rate was 3.7 percent, and there were almost 17,600 unemployed South Dakotans.

The state’s jobless rate is the fourth lowest in the U.S., tied with Idaho and Vermont. Only Nebraska, Utah and Oklahoma had lower rates.

The national unemployment rate in October was 4.6 percent, compared with 6.6 percent a year ago. It was 4.6 percent in September.