[2] The town was largely a small farming settlement until the industrial revolution and the sinking of collieries caused a boom in population and a need for modern housing for the workforce.

[3] Other industries such as quarrying for stone, agriculture and brick manufacture were also known at different periods of the town's history, with many of the former buildings and sites associated with them still existing.

The former South Elmsall quarry was deemed a site of national importance, by Defra, due to the visible section of an unusually complete patch coral reef.

The town is most famous for its coal-mining past; it was the site of Frickley Colliery, which was one of the largest deep coal mines in the United Kingdom.

The colliery invested in several improvements that were of benefit to the area, including the building of the Warde Aldam Hospital, as well as swimming baths and sports facilities.

The Skills report used South Elmsall and surrounding towns as a case study and stated "The local communities still suffer from serious environmental, social and economic problems - and a crisis of morale - as a result of the loss of jobs in the mining industry".

On the main high street there are shops featuring many household names such as The Post Office, Hallmark Cards, Specsavers, Boots Group and Greggs alongside many other independent shops offering a range of goods and services such as travel, boutique fashion, wedding dress hire, sportswear, a flooring and furniture store and much more.

On the outskirts of the town is the Dale Lane Industrial Estate which is home to a number of large, internationally recognised companies.

The main source of secondary and further education in the town is Minsthorpe Community College, which also provides places to residents of South Kirkby and Upton.