The Official Web Site of the State of South Carolina

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South Carolina’s Employment Situation August 2020

Fri, 09/18/2020

I. Household Survey(1)

Employment: The seasonally adjusted, monthly survey of households estimated the number of South Carolinians working increased to 2,264,535.

  • That is a significant increase of 18,532 people over July 2020.
  • That is also a significant decrease of 52,248 people over August 2019

Unemployment: Unemployment estimates declined significantly to 121,485 people.

  • That is a decrease of 59,966 people since July 2020 and a notable increase of 92,796 over August 2019
  • The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 6.3 percent in August from July’s revised estimate of 8.7 percent

Nationally, the unemployment rate declined from 10.2 percent in July to 8.4 percent in August.

Labor force: The state’s estimated labor force (people working plus unemployed people looking for work) decreased significantly to 2,417,471

  • That is a substantial decrease of 41,434 people over July 2020.
  • That is a significant increase of 40,458 individuals over August 2019

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Seasonally Adjusted(3))

The Current Employment Survey of businesses in South Carolina marked an increase of 19,700 nonfarm payroll jobs over the month to a level of 2,092,200.

  • Industries reporting gains were Government (+10,900); Professional and Business Services (+5,300); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+3,100); Leisure and Hospitality (+2,800); Construction (+1,100); Financial Activities (+500); and Other Services (+500).
  • Decreases were noticed in the Education and Health Services (-4,000); Information (-400); and Manufacturing (-200).

From August 2019 to August 2020, South Carolina’s economy has lost 104,700 seasonally adjusted, nonfarm jobs.

  • Only the Other Services (+1,400) and Construction (+1,200) industries reported gains over the year.
  • Decreases were reported in Leisure and Hospitality (-55,800); Education and Health Services (-15,600); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-12,500); Professional and Business Services (-8,600); Government (-7,300); Manufacturing (-3,600); Financial Activities (-2,200); and Information (-1,500).

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Not Seasonally Adjusted(2))

Not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payroll employment increased by 16,100 from July 2020 to August 2020 for a total of 2,094,100.

  • Industries reporting growth during this period were Government (+13,800); Professional and Business Services (+3,300); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+2,200); Construction (+1,000); Other Services (+700); Financial Activities (+300); and Mining and Logging (+100).
  • Industries reporting declines were Leisure and Hospitality (-2,800); Education and Health Services (-1,100); Information (-800); and Manufacturing (-600).

Since August 2019, not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm jobs were down 102,700 overall in South Carolina.

  • Only the Other Services (+2,600) and Construction (+500) industries showed annual gains.
  • Industries recording an over-the-year loss are Leisure and Hospitality (-57,000); Education and Health Services (-16,000); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-12,200); Professional and Business Services (-7,600); Government (-6,700); Manufacturing (-2,700); Financial Activities (-2,000); Information (-1,400); and Mining and Logging (-200).
Key for Note items 1 through 4
Note Explanation
(1) Household Survey (Current Population Survey): is a monthly survey of about 60,000 households conducted by the Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This survey provides monthly statistics on employment, unemployment, and related subjects analyzed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
(2) Current Employment Statistics Survey: is a monthly survey of about 40,000 employers which yields estimates of nonagricultural wage and salary employment, hours, and earnings by industry.
(3) Seasonally Adjusted: Seasonal adjustment removes the effects of events that follow a more or less regular pattern each year (i.e. tourist-related hiring and school closings in the summer). These adjustments make it easier to observe the cyclical and other nonseasonal movements in data over time.
(4) Not Seasonally Adjusted: Effects of regular or seasonal patterns have not been removed from these data

 

Nonfarm Employment by Industry, Seasonally Adjusted

Statewide

August 2020
        July to Aug. 2020 July to Aug. 2020  Aug. 2019 to Aug. 2020 Aug. 2019 to Aug. 2020
Area August 2020 July 2020 August 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 2,092,200 2,072,500 2,196,900 19,700 0.95% -104,700 -4.77%
Construction 108,300 107,200 107,100 1,100 1.03% 1,200 1.12%
Manufacturing 256,500 256,700 260,100 -200 -0.08% -3,600 -1.38%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities0.39% 396,400 393,300 408,900 3,100 0.79% -12,500 -3.06%
Information 25,600 26,000 27,100 -400 -1.54% -1,500 -5.54%
Finance Activities 103,100 102,600 105,300 500 0.49% -2,200 -2.09%
Professional and Business Services 290,900 285,600 299,500 5,300 1.86% -8,600 -2.09%
Education and Health Services 243,500 247,500 259,100 -4,000 -1.62% -15,600 -6.02%
Leisure and Hospitality 215,700 212,900 271,500 2,800 1.32% -55,800 -20.55%
Other Services 81,400 80,900 80,000 500 0.62% 1,400 1.75%
Government 366,500 355,600 373,800 10,900 3.07% -7,300 -1.95%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Industry, Not Seasonally Adjusted

Statewide

August 2020
        July to Aug. 2020 July to Aug. 2020 Aug. 2019 to Aug. 2020 Aug. 2019 to Aug. 2020  
Area August 2020 July 2020 August 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 2,094,100 2,078,000 2,196,800 16,100 0.77% -102,700 -4.67%
Mining and Logging 4,300 4,200 4,500 100 2.38% -200 -4.44%
Construction 108,400 107,400 107,900 1,000 0.93% 500 0.46%
Manufacturing 256,900 257,500 259,600 -600 -0.23% -2,700 -1.04%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 396,000 393,800 408,200 2,200 0.56% -12,200 -2.99%
Information 25,600 26,400 27,000 -800 -3.03% -1,400 -5.19%
Financial Activities 104,500 104,200 106,500 300 0.29% -2,000 -1.88%
Professional and Business Services 290,400 287,100 298,000 3,300 1.15% -7,600 -2.55%
Education and Health Services 242,700 243,800 258,700 -1,100 -0.45% -16,000 -6.18%
Leisure and Hospitality 225,700 228,500 282,700 -2,800 -1.23% -57,000 -20.16%
Other Services 83,000 82,300 80,400 700 0.85% 2,600 3.23%
Government 356,600 342,800 363,300 13,800 4.03% -6,700 -1.84%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Area, Seasonally Adjusted

South Carolina & Metropolitan Seasonally Adjusted

August 2020
        July to Aug. 2020 July to Aug. 2020  Aug. 2019 to Aug. 2020 Aug. 2019 to Aug. 2020 
Area August 2020 July 2020 August 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 2,092,200 2,072,500 2,196,900 19,700 0.95% -104,700 -4.77%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 350,700 348,100 377,900 2,600 0.75% -27,200 -7.20%
Columbia MSA 383,800 384,000 406,700 -200 -0.05% -22,900 -5.63%
Florence MSA 89,800 90,300 92,900 -500 -0.55% -3,100 -3.34%
Greenville/Anderson/Mauldin MSA 419,700 415,700 434,300 4,000 0.96% -14,600 -3.36%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 81,800 78,600 84,500 3,200 4.07% -14,600 -3.20%
Myrtle Beach MSA 154,500 152,300 174,900 2,200 1.44% -20,400 -11.66%
Spartanburg MSA 152,800 151,200 164,500 1,600 1.06% -11,700 -7.11%
Sumter MSA 38,200 37,500 39,800 700 1.87% -1,600 -4.02%

Note: Employment estimates have been rounded to the nearest hundred. Sum of detail may not equal totals due to rounding or the exclusion of certain industries from publication. All data are subject to revision.

Nonfarm Employment by Area, Not Seasonally Adjusted

South Carolina & Metropolitan Not Seasonally Adjusted

August 2020
        July to Aug. 2020 July to Aug. 2020 Aug. 2019 to Aug. 2020 Aug. 2019 to Aug. 2020
Area August 2020 July 2020 August 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 2,094,100 2,078,000 2,196,800 16,100 0.77% -102,700 -4.67%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 350,600 349,000 378,600 1,600 0.46% -28,000 -7.40%
Columbia MSA 382,700 380,800 404,500 1,900 0.50% -21,800 -5.39%
Florence MSA 89,500 89,600 92,500 -100 -0.11% -3,000 -3.24%
Greenville MSA 418,200 412,600 432,500 5,600 1.36% -14,300  -3.31%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 83,600 81,000 86,100 2,600 3.21% -2,500 -2.90%
Myrtle Beach MSA/Conway/N. Myrtle Beach MSA 161,600 161,300 181,600 300 0.19% 20,000 -11.01%
Spartanburg MSA 152,200 148,900 163,000 3,300 2.22% -10,800 -6.63%
Sumter MSA 37,800 37,300 39,400 500 1.34% -1,600 -4.06%

Note: Employment estimates have been rounded to the nearest hundred. Sum of detail may not equal totals due to rounding or the exclusion of certain industries from publication. All data are subject to revision.

 

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

LOCAL AREA UNEMPLOYMENT ESTIMATES BY COUNTY, MSA, AND STATE

(NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED)3.1
Area Rate Up/Rate Down/Same Labor Force Aug. 2020 Employment Aug. 2020 Unemployment Level Aug. 2020 Unemployment Rate Labor Force July. 2020 Employment     July. 2020 Unemployment Level July 2020 Unemployment Rate Labor Force Aug. 2019 Employment     Aug. 2019 Unemployment Level     Aug. 2019 Unemployment Rate
Allendale County Rate Down 2,739 2,444 295 10.8 2,821 2,428 393 13.9 2,677 2,526  151      5.6
Marlboro County Rate Down 9,678 8,636 1,042 10.8 10,045 8,641 1,404 14.0 9,278 8,866 412 4.4
Chester County Rate Down 13,824 12,412 1,412 10.2 14,253 12,310 1,943 13.6 13,542 12,965 577 4.3
Orangeburg County Rate Down 36,949 33,227 3,722 10.1 38,149 33,219 4,930 12.9 34,494 32,631 1,863 5.4
Bamberg County Rate Down 5,144 4,638 506 9.8 5,285 4,620 665 12.6 4,987 4,678 309 6.2
Union County Rate Down 12,124 10,947 1,177 9.7 12,527 10,831 1,696 13.5 11,658 11,241 417 3.6
Williamsburg County Rate Down 12,618 11,429 1,189 9.4 12,951 11,436 1,515 11.7 12,127 11,553 574 4.7
Marion County Rate Down 13,505 12,264 1,241 9.2 13,904 12,951 1,609 11.6 13,138 12,582 556 4.2
Fairfield County Rate Down 9,875 9,029 846 8.6 10,205 9,053 1,152 11.3 9,648 9,228 420 4.4
Lee County Rate Down 6,865 6,283 582 8.5 7,070 6,284 786 11.1 6,690 6,408 282 4.2
Cherokee County Rate Down 26,445 24,246 2,199 8.3 27,361 24,226 3,135 11.5 25,296 24,505 791 3.1
Horry County Rate Down 149,565 137,231 12,334 8.2 155,342 138,191 17,151 11.0 152,853 148,069 4,784 3.1
Georgetown County Rate Down 26,954 24,806 2,148 8.0 27,665 24,811 2,844 10.3 26,216 25,313 903 3.4
Lancaster County Rate Down 41,794 37,493 3,301 7.9 42,663 389,188 4,475 10.5 41,523 40,145 1,378 3.3
Barnwell County Rate Down 8,231 7,595 636 7.7 8,596 7,591 1,005 11.7 8,260 7,885 375 4.5
Sumter County Rate Down 44,998 41,581 3,417 7.6 46,091 41,527 4,564 9.9 43,909 41,818 1,491 3.4
Darlington County Rate Down 31,864 29,508 2,356 7.4 32,896 29,750 3,146 9.6 30,715 29,629 1,086 3.5
Charleston County Rate Down 216,524 200,777 15,747 7.3 222,996 201,733 21,263 9.5 213,629 208,642 4,987 2.3
Clarendon County Rate Down 13,052 12,131 921 7.1 13,384 12,086 1,298 9.7 12,913 12,424 489 3.8
Colleton County Rate Down 17,390 16,156 1,234 7.1 17,786 16,165 1,621 9.1 16,935 16,384 551 3.3
Spartanburg County Rate Down  156,181 145,208 10,973 7.0 159,016 143,676 15,430 9.6 153,135 149,159 3,976 2.6
York County Rate Down 141,461 131,591 9,870 7.0 144,173 130,649 13,524 9.4 141,040 137,097 3,9843 2.8
Calhoun County Rate Down 6,717 6,256 461 6.9 6,876 6,263 613 8.9 6,651 6,396 255 3.8
Greenwood County Rate Down 32,158 29,930 2,228 6.9 33,037 29,948 3,089 9.4 31,100 30,099 1,001 3.2
Laurens County Rate Down 31,542 29,377 2,165 6.9 32,286 29,247 3,039 9.4 30,284 29,362 922 3.0
Richland County Rate Down 203,781 189,947 13,834 6.8 209,184 190,911 18,273 8.7 199,311 193,712 5,599 2.8
Dillon County Rate Down 13,572 12676 896 6.6 13,835 12,651 1,184 8.6 13,133 12,621 512 3.9
McCormick County Rate Down 3,414 3,192 222 6.5 3,508 36,194 314 9.0 3,382 3,276 106 3.1
Chesterfield County Rate Down 22,597 21,143 1,454 6.4 23,092 21,106 1,986 8.6 22,081 21,420 661 3.0
Dorchester County Rate Down 79,073 73,982 5,091 6.4 81,584 74,369 7,215 8.8 78,966 77,006 1,960 2.5
Florence County Rate Down 69,652 65,250 4,402 6.3 71,623 65,894 5,729 8.0 67,258 65,286 1,972 2.9
Berkeley County Rate Down 104,986 98,434 6,552 6.2 108,340 98,976 9,364 8.6 105,149 102,471 2,678 2.5
Abbeville County Rate Down 10,191 9,567 624 6.1 10,486 9,580 906 8.6 9,934 9,596 338 3.4
Anderson County Rate Down 94,592 89,021 5,571 5.9 96,435 88,703 7,732 8.0 91,398 88,920 2,478 2.7
Hampton County Rate Down 8,717 8,212 505 5.8 8,789 8,110 679 7.7 8,539 8,312 227 2.7
Greenville County Rate Down 264,550 249,446 15,104 5.7 270,025 248,616 21,409 7.9 255,228 249,089 6,139 2.4
Kershaw County Rate Down 29,592 27,921 1,671 5.6 30,313 27,998 2,315 7.6 29,444 28,527 917 3.1
Jasper County Rate Down 13,370 12,639 731 5.5 13,404 12,372 1,032 7.7 12,881 12,558 323 2.5
Newberry County Rate Down 19,277 18,277 1,000 5.2 19,598 18,220 1,378 7.0 19,287 18,733 554 2.9
Beaufort County Rate Down 81,774 77,604 4,140 5.1 81,873 76,004 5,869

7.2

 79,372 77,262 2,110 2.7
Oconee County Rate Down 35,895 34,079 1,816 5.1 36,814 34,045 2,769 75 35,191 34,198 993 2.8
Pickens County Rate Down 58,903 56,014 2,889 4.9 60,133 55,823 4,310 7.2 57,550 55,906 1,644 2.9
Edgefield County Rate Down 10,795 10,274 521 4.8 11,006 10,238 768 7.0 10,785 10,478 307 2.8
Aiken County Rate Down 75,249 71,686 3,563 4.7 76,902 71,669 5,233 6.8 75,153 72,939 2,216 2.9
Lexington County Rate Down 151,126 144,074 7,052 4.7 154,302 144,595 9,707 6.3 150,508 147,016 3,492 2.3
Saluda County Rate Down 8,895 8,530 365 4.1 9,020 8,473 547 6.1 9,034 8,803 231 2.6
Charleston - North Charleston MSA Rate Down 400,583 373,193 27,390 6.8 412,920 375,078 37,842 9.2 397,744 388,119 9,625 2.4
Columbia MSA Rate Down 409,986 385,757 24,229 5.9 419,900 387,293 32,607 708 404,596 393,682 10,914 2.7
Florence MSA Rate Down 101,516 94,758 6,758 6.7 104,519 95,644 8,875 8.5 97,973 94,915 3,058 3.1
Greenville -Anderson- Mauldin MSA Rate Down 449,587 423,858 25,729 5.7 458,879 422,389 36,490 8.0 434,460 423,277 11,183 2.6
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED South Carolina Rate Down 2,417,471 2,264,535 152,936 6.3 2,458,905 2,246,003 212,902 8.7 2,376,923 2,316,783 60,140 2.5

Current month's estimates are preliminary. All data are subject to revision.