Unemployment Rate in South Carolina

ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

Unemployment Rate
4.8% −9.1% vs nat'l
Rank #25 of 52
53th %ile

How South Carolina Compares

South Carolina
4.8%
National
5.3%
9.1% below

State Ranking

Rank State Value
#22 Alabama 4.7%
#23 Ohio 4.7%
#24 Florida 4.8%
#25 South Carolina 4.8%
#26 Kentucky 4.8%
#27 Maryland 4.8%
#28 Arkansas 4.9%
View full state ranking →

Highest Unemployment Counties in South Carolina

# County Unemployment
1 Beaufort County 2.4%
2 Berkeley County 3.0%
3 Saluda County 3.2%
4 Charleston County 3.4%
5 Pickens County 3.6%
6 Williamsburg County 4.0%
7 Abbeville County 4.0%
8 York County 4.1%
9 Lancaster County 4.3%
10 Spartanburg County 4.3%

Lowest Unemployment Counties in South Carolina

# County Unemployment
46 Bamberg County 15.0%
45 Marlboro County 9.9%
44 Colleton County 9.8%
43 Hampton County 9.4%
42 Dillon County 8.9%
41 Allendale County 8.5%
40 Orangeburg County 8.3%
39 Union County 7.9%
38 Chesterfield County 7.5%
37 Marion County 7.2%

Unemployment Rate in South Carolina

South Carolina has a unemployment rate of 4.8%, ranking #25 of 52 among all 52 states and territories. This is 9.1% below the national value of 5.3%.

Across South Carolina's 46 counties, unemployment rate ranges from 15.0% to 2.4%. The county with the highest value is Beaufort County at 2.4%.

Percentage of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.

About this data

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024). All values are estimates derived from survey samples and are subject to margin of error. For more information, see our methodology.