Department of Numbers

Rapid City, South Dakota Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Rapid City fell 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 2.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points higher than the South Dakota rate. The unemployment rate in Rapid City peaked in April 2020 at 11.0% and is now 8.8 percentage points lower. You can also compare Rapid City unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
South Dakota 2.1% -0.1 +0.1
Rapid City 2.2% -0.1 -0.6
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Rapid City, South Dakota, National

Rapid City, South Dakota monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Rapid City, South Dakota Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Rapid City peaked in April 2020 at 8,185. There are now 6,473 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Rapid City employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Rapid City, South Dakota) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Rapid City 1,712 -102 -451

Number of Unemployed Persons

Rapid City, South Dakota Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
South Dakota
Unemployment Rate
Rapid City
Unemployment Rate
Rapid City
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 2.1% 2.2% 1,712
December
2022
3.5% 2.2% 2.3% 1,814
November
2022
3.6% 2.2% 2.4% 1,870
October
2022
3.7% 2.2% 2.4% 1,871
September
2022
3.5% 2.2% 2.4% 1,847
August
2022
3.7% 2.2% 2.3% 1,842
July
2022
3.5% 2.1% 2.3% 1,820
June
2022
3.6% 2.0% 2.3% 1,813
May
2022
3.6% 2.0% 2.3% 1,804
April
2022
3.6% 1.9% 2.4% 1,838
March
2022
3.6% 1.9% 2.5% 1,938

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.