Counties with the highest unemployment in South Dakota

The first jobs report under the new Trump administration showed a stable job market, with the unemployment rate ticking down from 4.1% to 4% in January, the lowest since last May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Feb. 7.

The report marks 49 consecutive months of overall job growth, the second-longest recorded period since 1939.

Job losses that did occur were concentrated in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, which declined by 8,000 jobs over the month. There was little change in employment in other major industries.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates South Dakota, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in December 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Key takeaways: Jobs report reveals cooling labor market

January's job growth of 143,000 fell short of expectations, while the downward revision of 589,000 fewer jobs in 2024 suggests the labor market was weaker last year than initially thought.

Business leaders are starting to display more caution, with 67% of executives reporting higher stress levels heading into 2025, according to a survey of 1,000 executives by Sentry, a business insurance company. Among survey respondents, 47% citing economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.

"We have what I would describe as a robust but frozen labor market," Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, told The New York Times, noting that while unemployment remains low, there's very little churn or employee turnover as "businesses are being cautious as to how they manage their work force."

Moody's Analytics projects monthly payroll gains could slow to around 100,000 by year-end.

The big story: Potential for economic headwinds grows

Behind the "Now Hiring" signs and modest unemployment rate, there's growing concern on Main Street that the economy might be more fragile than it appears.

"You've already got companies hiring as if they're in a recession—even if they're not laying people off," Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CNN. Average unemployment duration, a lagging indicator, rose from 20.8 weeks in January 2024 to 22 in January of this year.

Tightening trade regulations and federal trimming could also have an impact on the job market. Experts predict the U.S. gross domestic product could take a hit due to increased tariffs. The U.S. government is the country's largest employer and contributes 36% to the GDP.

Sudden cuts to federal spending advocated by the new administration could hit the economy hard. One example of the potential fallout is that if prices were to increase further due to higher tariffs, consumer purchasing power would decline, stymieing economic growth.

Whether the effects of slashing the workforce and the budget will be exceeded by Trump's plans to loosen business regulations and cut taxes remains to be seen.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in South Dakota.

49. McCook County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,151 people (55 unemployed)

49. Aurora County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,449 people (24 unemployed)

45. Pennington County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 61,493 people (1,092 unemployed)

45. Sanborn County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,213 people (22 unemployed)

45. Hamlin County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,781 people (67 unemployed)

45. Meade County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,866 people (261 unemployed)

35. Clark County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,940 people (37 unemployed)

35. Harding County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 693 people (13 unemployed)

35. Charles Mix County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,850 people (74 unemployed)

35. Butte County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,436 people (103 unemployed)

35. Bon Homme County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,791 people (54 unemployed)

35. Codington County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,586 people (317 unemployed)

35. Hyde County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 644 people (12 unemployed)

35. Moody County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,047 people (76 unemployed)

35. Turner County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,812 people (92 unemployed)

35. Minnehaha County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 120,019 people (2,327 unemployed)

29. Lawrence County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,663 people (286 unemployed)

29. Kingsbury County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,720 people (54 unemployed)

29. Brown County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,154 people (401 unemployed)

29. Edmunds County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,971 people (40 unemployed)

29. Union County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,804 people (176 unemployed)

29. Spink County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,016 people (60 unemployed)

25. Potter County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,043 people (22 unemployed)

25. Clay County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,411 people (159 unemployed)

25. Douglas County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,480 people (31 unemployed)

25. Jones County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 482 people (10 unemployed)

23. Day County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,642 people (58 unemployed)

23. Brookings County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,870 people (436 unemployed)

22. Marshall County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,360 people (54 unemployed)

20. Fall River County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,915 people (69 unemployed)

20. Campbell County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 760 people (18 unemployed)

18. Hutchinson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,663 people (94 unemployed)

18. Corson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,283 people (33 unemployed)

16. Hanson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,789 people (49 unemployed)

16. Lyman County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,639 people (45 unemployed)

15. Custer County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,276 people (121 unemployed)

14. Ziebach County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 952 people (28 unemployed)

12. Jackson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,132 people (34 unemployed)

12. Deuel County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: +1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,333 people (69 unemployed)

9. Grant County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: +1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,357 people (136 unemployed)

9. Miner County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,258 people (39 unemployed)

9. McPherson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 970 people (30 unemployed)

8. Mellette County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 737 people (24 unemployed)

7. Walworth County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,052 people (69 unemployed)

5. Bennett County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,065 people (37 unemployed)

5. Roberts County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: +1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,736 people (164 unemployed)

4. Todd County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,044 people (109 unemployed)

3. Dewey County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,287 people (88 unemployed)

2. Buffalo County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 713 people (31 unemployed)

1. Oglala Lakota County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,505 people (210 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.