Labor Force Participation Rate by Disability Status

By Lainey Stalnaker, Data Analytics Writer

A critical part of our mission at the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) is helping residents of the state connect with meaningful employment. We know that people living with a disability can face unique challenges when searching for employment, and as a result, labor force participation among the population living with a disability has historically been lower than the nondisabled population. From October of 2023 to September of 2024, the labor force participation rate (LFPR) for people living with a disability in South Carolina was 21.0 percent, compared to 64.6 percent for people without a disability, according to DEW’s analysis of data from the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey. LFPR is the number of people in the labor force—those who are employed and those who are seeking employment—as a percentage of the civilian noninstitutional population.

For nondisabled people between the ages of 25 and 54, LFPR hovered just above 84 percent, the highest of any age group. For people living with a disability, LFPR peaked among the 25 to 34 age group at 57.6 percent—and steadily declined among older populations. LFPR for 35 to 44-year-olds living with a disability was 41.6 percent, a 16-point difference compared to the next younger cohort, and the rate was just 30.2 percent for the 45 to 54 age group.

LFPR was lowest among 65 to 90-year-olds for both people living with a disability and people without, but nondisabled people in this age group were still twice as likely to be part of the labor force compared to people living with a disability. See the figure below for a full breakdown of labor force participation in South Carolina by age and disability status.

DEW offers a range of services to all who may be looking to enter the workforce. SC Works centers throughout the state provide all jobseekers with free career counseling, job referrals, testing and training services, and resume-writing assistance. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit, administered by DEW, encourages businesses to hire individuals who may experience barriers to employment, such as living with a disability. Additionally, the Job Accommodation Network can assist those with questions about workplace accommodations.