Economy, jobs and prices in South Dakota, United States: official figures
The economy of South Dakota (gross domestic product) was worth $82.0 billion in 2025 at current prices, 0.3% of the US total of $30.86 trillion; 5th smallest of 51. In current dollars it was up 5.2% on 2024.
How fast is the economy of South Dakota growing?
After adjusting for inflation, real GDP in South Dakota grew 1.8% in 2025, against 2.3% for the United States; 20th slowest-growing of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyWhat is the GDP per capita of South Dakota?
Dividing 2025 GDP by the Census Bureau's population estimate gives $87,694 of output per resident, against $90,294 for the US economy divided by the population of the 50 states and DC; 21st highest of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyIs the economy of South Dakota growing or shrinking?
In the second quarter of 2026, real GDP in South Dakota grew at an annual rate of 2.7% (United States: 2.2%); tied for 10th fastest-growing of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyWhat are the main industries in South Dakota?
In 2025 the largest private industry in South Dakota's economy was finance and insurance (18.3% of GDP), followed by real estate, rental and leasing (9.7%) and health care and social assistance (9.5%). Government accounted for 9.9% and manufacturing for 6.5%; the manufacturing share was 11th lowest of 51 (United States: 9.5%).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyHow much do people in South Dakota spend?
Consumer spending (personal consumption expenditures) in South Dakota came to $56,774 per person in 2025 (United States: $61,062); 20th lowest of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyIs South Dakota expensive to live in?
Prices in South Dakota were 11.4% below the national average in 2024, by BEA's regional price parity of 88.6 (US = 100), which covers goods, services and housing; 6th least expensive of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyWhat is the inflation rate in South Dakota?
Prices in South Dakota rose 3.1% in 2024, measured by BEA's implicit regional price deflator, against 2.6% nationally (PCE price index).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyWhat is the per capita income in South Dakota?
Personal income per person in South Dakota was $78,999 in 2025, against $77,028 for the United States; 14th highest of 51. It was up 6.1% on 2024 and up 32.7% on 2020, before inflation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyWhat is the disposable income per person in South Dakota?
After taxes, disposable personal income per person was $71,850 in 2025 (United States: $67,251); 12th highest of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyHow far does income go in South Dakota?
Adjusted for local price levels, real personal income per person in South Dakota was $69,153 in 2024 in 2017 dollars (United States: $59,195); 5th highest of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyWhat is the median household income in South Dakota?
Median household income in South Dakota was $76,881 in 2024 (margin of error ±$1,990), against $81,604 for the United States; 22nd lowest of 51 by the point estimate. It was not statistically different from 2023 after adjusting for inflation (American Community Survey).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in South Dakota?
The Gini index of household income inequality in South Dakota was 0.443 in 2024 (0 means equal incomes, 1 means one household has everything; United States: 0.481); 6th least unequal of 51.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in South Dakota?
The unemployment rate in South Dakota was 2.0% in September 2026 (seasonally adjusted, preliminary), down from 2.1% a year earlier; the lowest of 51. The rate for the 50 states and DC combined was 4.2%.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyHow many people are unemployed in South Dakota?
In September 2026, 9,570 people in South Dakota were unemployed and 475,107 employed, out of a labor force of 484,677.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyWhat was the unemployment rate in South Dakota in 2025?
Over 2025 the unemployment rate in South Dakota averaged 2.1% (an 11-month average: October 2025 was not collected during the federal shutdown), against 1.8% in 2024; the lowest of 51. The lowest annual rate since 1976 was 1.8% in 2023.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyWhat is the average salary in South Dakota?
Workers covered by unemployment insurance in South Dakota were paid $60,575 on average in 2025 ($1,165 a week), up 3.9% on 2024; the US average was $78,720. That is 3rd lowest of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyHow many jobs are there in South Dakota?
Employers in South Dakota had an average of 460,392 jobs on their payrolls in 2025 across 40,814 establishments, up 0.4% on 2024 (United States: up 0.5%).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyWhat is the median wage in South Dakota?
The median annual wage across all occupations in South Dakota was $47,080 in May 2025 (mean $57,610); 9th lowest of 51. One in ten workers earned less than $29,300 and one in ten more than $94,900.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyWhat is the most common job in South Dakota?
The most common occupation in South Dakota in May 2025 was fast food and counter workers, with 15,150 workers and a median annual wage of $29,490.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyWhat is the median household income in South Dakota?
Median household income in South Dakota was $77,494 in 2024, 22nd lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: $81,604). In 2019 it was $60,414, so it has risen 28.3% before allowing for inflation.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the average rent in South Dakota?
The median gross rent in South Dakota, including utilities, was $999 a month in 2024, up 8.5% on 2023 ($921); 8th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: $1,487).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the median home value in South Dakota?
Homeowners in South Dakota valued their homes at a median of $289,600 in 2024, up 8.0% on 2023 ($268,200); 19th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: $360,600).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow affordable are homes in South Dakota?
The median home value in South Dakota was 3.7 times the median household income in 2024 ($289,600 against $77,494); 18th lowest ratio among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 4.4).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyIs rent affordable in South Dakota?
A household on the median income in South Dakota would spend 15.5% of its income on the median rent of $999 a month in 2024 (U.S.: 21.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow South Dakota compares with other states
Gross domestic product, 2025 (current dollars) (2025)
South Dakota ranks 47 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Gross domestic product, 2025 (current dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | Maine | $101.7 billion |
| 45 | Rhode Island | $88.2 billion |
| 46 | North Dakota | $82.3 billion |
| 47 | South Dakota | $82.0 billion |
| 48 | Montana | $80.9 billion |
| 49 | Alaska | $73.6 billion |
| 50 | Wyoming | $52.5 billion |
GDP per resident, 2025 (BEA GDP / Census population) (2025)
South Dakota ranks 21 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | GDP per resident, 2025 (BEA GDP / Census population) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Utah | $90,191 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $89,157 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $88,350 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $87,694 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $85,959 |
| 23 | Nevada | $85,728 |
| 24 | Iowa | $83,973 |
Real GDP growth, 2025 (2025)
South Dakota ranks 32 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real GDP growth, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Pennsylvania | 1.8% |
| 30 | North Carolina | 1.8% |
| 31 | New Mexico | 1.8% |
| 32 | South Dakota | 1.8% |
| 33 | New Hampshire | 1.7% |
| 34 | Louisiana | 1.5% |
| 35 | Hawaii | 1.5% |
Real GDP growth, 2026:Q2 (annual rate) (2026:Q2)
South Dakota ranks 11 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real GDP growth, 2026:Q2 (annual rate) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Connecticut | 3.0% |
| 9 | North Carolina | 2.9% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 2.7% |
| 11 | South Dakota | 2.7% |
| 12 | Vermont | 2.7% |
| 13 | Alabama | 2.6% |
| 14 | California | 2.5% |
Personal income per person, 2025 (2025)
South Dakota ranks 14 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Personal income per person, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Maryland | $82,387 |
| 12 | Virginia | $80,903 |
| 13 | Alaska | $80,510 |
| 14 | South Dakota | $78,999 |
| 15 | Illinois | $78,987 |
| 16 | Florida | $78,345 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $78,197 |
Real personal income per person, 2024 (adjusted for local prices, 2017 dollars) (2024)
South Dakota ranks 5 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real personal income per person, 2024 (adjusted for local prices, 2017 dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Wyoming | $75,501 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $74,254 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $71,629 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $69,153 |
| 6 | Nebraska | $65,297 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $65,271 |
| 8 | Colorado | $65,223 |
Median household income, 2024 (ACS) (2024)
South Dakota ranks 30 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Median household income, 2024 (ACS) |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Florida | $77,735 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $77,545 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $77,488 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $76,881 |
| 31 | Maine | $76,442 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $76,376 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $75,532 |
Regional price parity, 2024 (US = 100) (2024)
South Dakota ranks 46 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Regional price parity, 2024 (US = 100) |
|---|---|---|
| 43 | West Virginia | 89.5 |
| 44 | North Dakota | 89.0 |
| 45 | Alabama | 88.8 |
| 46 | South Dakota | 88.6 |
| 47 | Louisiana | 88.2 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | 87.8 |
| 49 | Iowa | 87.8 |
Unemployment rate, September 2026 (seasonally adjusted) (September 2026)
South Dakota ranks 51 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate, September 2026 (seasonally adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Wyoming | 3.0% |
| 46 | Nebraska | 2.9% |
| 47 | Hawaii | 2.8% |
| 48 | New Hampshire | 2.6% |
| 49 | Vermont | 2.6% |
| 50 | North Dakota | 2.2% |
| 51 | South Dakota | 2.0% |
Unemployment rate, 2025 annual average (2025)
South Dakota ranks 51 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate, 2025 annual average |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | New Hampshire | 3.2% |
| 46 | Nebraska | 3.0% |
| 47 | Alabama | 2.9% |
| 48 | Vermont | 2.7% |
| 49 | North Dakota | 2.6% |
| 50 | Hawaii | 2.4% |
| 51 | South Dakota | 2.1% |
Labor force participation rate, September 2026 (September 2026)
South Dakota ranks 8 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Labor force participation rate, September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Minnesota | 66.7% |
| 6 | Utah | 66.5% |
| 7 | Kansas | 66.4% |
| 8 | South Dakota | 66.3% |
| 9 | Massachusetts | 65.4% |
| 10 | Alaska | 65.3% |
| 11 | Colorado | 65.2% |
Average annual pay, 2025 (QCEW) (2025)
South Dakota ranks 49 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average annual pay, 2025 (QCEW) |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Kentucky | $62,521 |
| 46 | Idaho | $62,392 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $61,152 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $60,996 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $60,575 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $60,359 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $53,223 |
Median annual wage, all occupations, May 2025 (OEWS) (May 2025)
South Dakota ranks 43 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Median annual wage, all occupations, May 2025 (OEWS) |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Nevada | $47,660 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $47,380 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $47,210 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $47,080 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $46,920 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $46,490 |
| 46 | Alabama | $45,670 |
Median household income (2024)
South Dakota ranks 30 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Florida | $77,687 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $77,557 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $77,532 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $77,494 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $76,975 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $76,578 |
| 33 | Maine | $76,372 |
Median gross rent (monthly) (2024)
South Dakota ranks 44 of 51, highest first. Renter-occupied units paying cash rent
| Rank | Region | Median gross rent (monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Missouri | $1,067 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $1,064 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $1,044 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $999 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $998 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $998 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $990 |
Median value of owner-occupied homes (2024)
South Dakota ranks 33 of 51, highest first. Owner-reported value
| Rank | Region | Median value of owner-occupied homes |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Texas | $313,200 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $299,500 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $294,700 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $289,600 |
| 34 | Illinois | $280,700 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $279,900 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $277,600 |
More on South Dakota: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2024 (ACSBR-025), Appendix Table 1: median household income and Gini index by state, 2023 and 2024 American Community Survey, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5de1b0d5ec46…)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: SASUMMARY: State annual summary statistics: personal income, GDP, consumer spending, price indexes, and employment (updated 30 September 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a3757d207c05…)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: SAGDP: Annual GDP by state, 1997-2025 (table SAGDP2, GDP in current dollars by industry), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3d3c5bc7bd24…)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: SQGDP: Quarterly GDP by state, 2005-2026 Q2 (table SQGDP11, percent change in real GDP at annual rate), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1649260cdceb…)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Local Area Unemployment Statistics: employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population, states, monthly, seasonally adjusted, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7bb6f18d4145…)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Local Area Unemployment Statistics: employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population, states, annual averages 1976-2025, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 262aba7d00df…)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 state estimates (state_M2025_dl.xlsx), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 74d5be0e1df8…)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages, all industries (open data CSV slice), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5a5f89142aae…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Median gross rent (B25064), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8624f9775add…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Median value of owner-occupied homes (B25077), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 27120d5d8a5f…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2024 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cb52c47d75c1…)
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