With a potential labor force of  4,446 people aged 16 years or older, Belle Fourche has approximately 2,934 people employed or seeking employment in the community, according to the U.S. Census 2011 American Community Survey. With only 140 people unemployed, Belle Fourche has an unemployment rate of 4.8%. The economic sector employing the most people was retail trade which accounted for 546 jobs, or nearly one-fifth of total employment in the community. Educational services, health care, and social assistance and the sector related to tourism also accounted for significant shares of local employment. Approximately 16.4 percent of all workers were employed by a government agency. The mean travel time to work was approximately 19 minutes.

Business Activity & Taxable Sales

Taxable sales in Belle Fourche exceeded $8.3 million in January, 2012, according to the South Dakota Department of Revenue. Below is a chart detailing the by sector gross sales for May 2012 through April 2013.

Income & Wages

The median household  income in Belle Fourche in 2009, according to the U.S. Census' American Community Survey, was $38,702. Close to 12 percent of families had incomes below the poverty level.