How many jobs were lost in last month?

Updated Apr. 14, 2026Refreshed monthly
South Dakota lost 700 jobs in January 2026, ranking it 48th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 587 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.

-700

month to month change in number of jobs (January 2026)

48th

rank among states in monthly job growth (January 2026)
South Dakota’s job loss of 700 January 2026 was a directional change from the previous month. The latest monthly job change was down from the 100 gain in December 2025.
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), South Dakota gained jobs in 40 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the seventh-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in June 2023 (+2,900) while job growth was weakest in June 2024 (-1,500).

There were 700 fewer jobs in January 2026 in South Dakota than the previous month.

Monthly change in nonfarm employment, February 2021–January 2026, seasonally adjusted

Which South Dakota sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in January 2026?

The three supersectors with the highest job growth in January 2026 were construction, durable goods, and non-durable goods. Construction added 700 jobs, more than the entire economy. Durable goods gained 100 jobs, while non-durable goods added 100. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.

The health care and social assistance sector lost 400 jobs during January 2026.

Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in South Dakota (January 2026)

How does South Dakota's job growth in 2025 compare to previous years?

In 2025, the state has gained an average of 217 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 367, and the 13th-highest since 2024. The 2025 average ranks as 13th-highest in job growth since 2024.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 817 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 1,200 on average every month in 2022.

In 2025, South Dakota gained an average of 217 jobs every month.

Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted

Job growth among two metro areas at least partially in South Dakota during January 2026 ranged from a loss of 400 jobs in the Sioux Falls, SD area to a loss of 200 jobs in the Rapid City, SD area metro area.

Monthly job growth, by metro area

Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within South Dakota

Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areaChange in jobs

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.