Dec. 30, 2020

Unemployment figures in the Sioux Falls area are almost unchanged from a year ago after spiking in the early months of the pandemic.

The jobless rate dropped to 2.9 percent for November, compared with 2.8 percent a year ago. That figure had climbed to 10.5 percent in April as businesses shut down. October’s unemployment rate was 3 percent.

November’s rate represents 4,553 people in the Sioux Falls MSA who are looking for work.

From October to November, nonfarm wage and salaried worker levels in the Sioux Falls area dropped by 100 people to 155,600. The largest decline was in the leisure and hospitality industry at 2.1 percent, a loss of 300 workers. Professional and business services lost 300 workers, a 1.9 percent drop. The biggest gain at 3.6 percent was in the transportation, warehousing and utilities sector with 200 additional workers.

The state’s jobless rate also is basically unchanged from a year ago. The figure was 3.5 percent in November, compared with 3.4 percent a year ago. That represents 16,000 people who do not have jobs, have actively looked for one in the past four weeks and are available to work. The rate was 3.7 percent in October. It reached a record high of 10.9 percent in April.

The national unemployment rate in November was 6.7 percent, down from 6.9 percent in October. A year ago, it was 3.5 percent.

Here’s a look at unemployment rates for other cities in November compared with a year ago.

• Rapid City MSA, 3.7 percent vs. 3.6 percent.
• Aberdeen, 3.1 percent vs. 3.2 percent.
• Brandon, 2.6 percent vs. 2.7 percent.
• Brookings, 3.6 percent vs. 3.8 percent.
• Huron, 3.3 percent vs. 3.1 percent.
• Mitchell, 3.1 percent vs. 2.9 percent.
• Pierre, 2.3 percent vs. 2.5 percent.
• Spearfish, 3.6 percent vs. 3.4 percent.
• Vermillion, 3.5 percent vs. 4.1 percent.
• Watertown, 3.7 percent vs. 2.9 percent.
• Yankton, 3.7 percent vs 3.2 percent.

Resilient, record-breaking year sets up Sioux Falls for more growth in 2021