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Lawrence - Work & Economy

Lawrence County's median income rose from $31,755 in 2000 to $41,227 in 2009. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the county's total labor force in October 2011 was 13,360, with 532 people or 4.0 percent listed as unemployed. The leisure and hospitality industries accounted for the largest number of jobs in 2009 (3,474).  For an in-depth economic profile of Lawrence County, visit the South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development.

Employment

The chart below shows the unemployment rate over the past decade for Lawrence County, along with a line showing the average during this time, as recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Discover magazine highlighted the ongoing construction of the Sanford Underground Laboratory in the former Homestake Mine in Lead. Check out photographer and Black Hills State University professor
Steve Babbitt's image of workers underground. 

 
 

The unemployment rate is defined as the number unemployed as a percent of the labor force. Persons 16 years and older who had no employment during the reference week, were available for work (except for temporary illness) and had made specific efforts to find employment, are classified as unemployed. For more information, see http://bls.gov/lau/.

In terms of the economic recovery, the widget below shows the funds flowing into Lawrence county from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

 

   Income & Wages

Below is a chart showing the average weekly wages in Lawrence county over the past decade, as recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These data are recorded quarterly. For a snapshot of the changes in wages (preliminary estimates) over the most recent period, please refer to http://beta.bls.gov/maps/cew/us.

 

Below is a chart showing an alternate measure of income, the average annual pay in Lawrence county over the same time period. For more information, please visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wage program. http://www.bls.gov/cew/

 

Wages include bonuses, stock options, profit distributions, the cash value of meals and lodging, tips and other gratuities, and, in some states, employer contributions to certain deferred compensation plans such as 401(k) plans.

Economy

Gross Domestic Product

New capital investment and sources of labor contribute to the growth of the Black Hills economy. Below is a chart showing the labor force in Lawrence County over the past decade. The shade of the bars indicates the level of business establishments during that year. The darker the bar, the more businesses in the economy. This data has been recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as a part of the Local Area Unemployment Survey.

The term “establishment” refers to the physical location of a certain economic activity—for example, a factory, mine, store, or office. A single establishment generally produces a single good or provides a single service. An enterprise (a private firm, government, or nonprofit organization) can consist of a single establishment or multiple establishments. All establishments in an enterprise may be classified in one industry (e.g., a chain), or they may be classified in different industries (e.g., a conglomerate).

Agriculture & Resources

Agriculture contributes significantly to the Lawrence County economy. Click on the link below to see Lawrence County's profile from the 2007 U.S. Census of Agriculture.

 

 

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Lawrence Co 2007 US Ag Census.pdf380.2 KB