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South Carolina's Employment Situation February 2019

Fri, 03/22/2019

The number of individuals working increased noticeably, by an estimated 6,951 people, marking a new record of 2,267,211.

Unemployment estimates showed little change over the month, decreasing by 340 to 74,497 people. The state’s labor force increased by approximately 6,611 to 2,341,708 people, as almost all entrants to the labor force found employment.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged for the eighth consecutive month at 3.2 percent.

Since February of 2018, employment gains moved markedly higher by approximately 38,018 people, and the labor force estimate rose by nearly 24,500 people. The level of unemployed moved significantly lower by roughly 13,525 people.

Nationally, the unemployment rate decreased to 3.8 percent from January’s estimate of 4.0 percent.

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Seasonally Adjusted, 1)

In February 2019, seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payrolls decreased by 400 over the month to a level of 2,171,900.

The decline was mostly due to downturns in the Leisure and Hospitality (-2,300); Trade Transportation, and Utilities (-1,700); Professional and Business Services (-800); Information(-100) and Financial Activities (-100) industries.
Industries reporting increases were Manufacturing (+1,400); Education and Health Services (+1,400); Construction (+700); Government (+700); and Other Services (+500).
From February 2018 to February 2019, South Carolina’s economy has added 31,100 seasonally adjusted, nonfarm jobs.

Industries marking growth were Manufacturing (+8,700); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+8,200); Education and Health Services (+6,700); Leisure and Hospitality (+4,600); Government (+4,200); Professional and Business Services (+3,200); and Financial Activities (+700).
Decreases were seen in Construction (-3,800); Other Services (-1,300); and Information (-100).

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Not Seasonally Adjusted, 2)

Not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payroll employment increased by 14,200 from January 2019 to February 2019 for a total of 2,148,700. This increase is a typical trend for the January-to-February time period due to returns from layoffs and school closings between terms.

Industries that saw growth were Education and Health Services (+4,400); Government (+4,300); Professional and Business Services (+2,300); Manufacturing (+1,700); Leisure and Hospitality (+1,700); Other Services (+1,700); Construction (+1,500); and Information (+100).
Industries reporting losses were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-2,800); Financial Activities (-600); and Mining and Logging (-100).
Since February 2018, not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm jobs were up 28,900 in South Carolina.

Industries marking strong annual gains were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+8,400); Manufacturing (+8,200); Education and Health Services (+7,100); Government (+4,100); Professional and Business Services (+2,600); Leisure and Hospitality (+1,900); and Financial Activities (+300).
Industries reporting declines were Construction (-2,700); other Services (-700); and Information (-300).
Mining and Logging remained stagnant over the year.

 

Key for Note items 1 and 2
Note Explanation
(1) 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.
(2) Not Seasonally Adjusted: Effects of regular or seasonal patterns have not been removed from these data.

 

Nonfarm Employment by Industry, Seasonally Adjusted

Statewide

February 2019
        Jan. to Feb. 2019 Jan. to Feb. 2019 Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019 Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019
Area February 2019 January 2019 February 2018 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 2,171,900 2,172,300 2,140,800 -400 -0.02% 31,100 1.45%
Construction 100,600 99,900 104,400 700 0.70% -3,800 -3.64%
Manufacturing 254,300 252,900 245,600 1,400 0.55% 8,700 3.54%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 412,400 414,100 404,200 -1,700 -0.41% 8,200 2.03%
Information 27,900 28,000 28,000 -100 -0.36% -100 -0.36%
Finance Activities 104,700 104,800 104,000 -100 -0.10% 700 0.67%
Professional and Business Services 295,800 296,600 292,600 -800 -0.27% 3,200 1.09%
Education and Health Services 256,900 255,500 250,200 1,400 0.54% 6,700 2.68%
Leisure and Hospitality 267,200 269,500 262,600 -2,300 -0.86% 4,600 1.75%
Other Services 75,900 75,400 77,200 500 0.66% -1,300 -1.68%
Government 371,800 371,100 367,600 700 0.19% 4,200 1.14%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Industry, Not Seasonally Adjusted

Statewide

February 2019
        Jan. to Feb. 2019 Jan. to Feb. 2019 Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019 Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019
Area February 2019 January 2019 February 2018 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 2,148,700 2,134,500 2,119,800 14,200 0.67% 28,900 1.36%
Mining and Logging 4,400 4,500 4,400 -100 -2.22% 0 0.00%
Construction 100,600 99,100 103,300 1,500 1.51% -2,700 -2.61%
Manufacturing 254,000 252,300 245,800 1,700 0.67% 8,200 3.34%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 406,400 409,200 398,000 -2,800 -0.68% 8,400 2.11%
Information 27,800 27,700 28,100 100 0.36% -300 -1.07%
Financial Activities 103,000 103,900 103,000 -600 -0.58% 300 0.29%
Professional and Business Services 291,900 289,600 289,300 2,300 0.79% 2,600 0.90%
Education and Health Services 257,900 253,500 250,800 4,400 1.74% 7,100 2.83%
Leisure and Hospitality 252,100 250,400 250,200 1,700 0.68% 1,900 0.76%
Other Services 76,000 74,300 76,700 1,700 2.29% -700 -0.91
Government 374,300 370,00 370,200 4,300 1.16% 4,100 1.11%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Area, Seasonally Adjusted

South Carolina & Metropolitan Seasonally Adjusted

February 2019
        Jan. to Feb. 2019 Jan. to Feb. 2019 Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019 Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019
Area February 2019 January 2019 February 2018 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 2,171,900 2,172,300 2,140,800 -400 -0.02% 31,100 1.45%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 371,100 370,700 363,800 400 0.11% 7,300 2.01%
Columbia MSA 403,100 403,700 399,800 -600 -0.15% 3,300 0.83%
Florence MSA 92,300 92,600 91,200 -300 -0.33% 1,100 1.21%
Greenville/Anderson/Mauldin MSA 430,600 429,900 424,200 700 0.16% 6,400 1.51%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 83,900 84,000 81,300 -100 -0.12% 2,600 3.20%
Myrtle Beach MSA 177,600 177,000 171,700 600 0.34% 5,900 3.44%
Spartanburg MSA 160,300 160,300 157,400 0 0.00% 2,900 1.84%
Sumter MSA 40,800 40,900 40,000 -100 -0.25% 800 2.00%

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

February 2019
        Jan. to Feb. 2019 Jan. to Feb. 2019 Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019 Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019
Area February 2019 January 2019 February 2018 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 2,148,700 2,134,500 2,119,800 14,200 0.67% 28,900 1.36%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 367,300 365,000 361,200 2,300 0.63% 6,100 1.69%
Columbia MSA 401,000 398,500 397,700 2,500 0.63% 3,300 0.83%
Florence MSA 91,900 91,600 90,700 300 0.33% 1,200 1.32%
Greenville MSA 427,500 425,400 422,500 2,100 0.49% 5,000 1.18%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 81,400 81,200 79,500 200 0.25% 1,900 2.39%
Myrtle Beach MSA/Conway/N. Myrtle Beach MSA 168,500 165,900 163,700 2,600 1.57% 4,800 2.93%
Spartanburg MSA 160,100 158,800 157,300 1,300 0.82% 2,800 1.78%
Sumter MSA 40,800 40,800 40,000 0 0.00% 800 2.00%

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)
Area Rate Up/Rate Down/Same Labor Force Feb. 2019 Employment Feb. 2019 Unemployment Level Feb. 2019 Unemployment Rate Labor Force Jan. 2019 Employment     Jan. 2019 Unemployment Level Jan. 2019 Unemployment Rate Labor Force Feb. 2018 Employment     Feb. 2018 Unemployment Level     Feb. 2018 Unemployment Rate
Marlboro County

Rate Up

 9,700 8,870 830 8.6 9,255 8,779 476 5.1 9,470 8,859 611 6.5
Bamberg County Rate Down 5,007 4,732 275 5.5 5,036 4,701 335 6.7 5,275 4,892 383 7.3
Dillon County Rate Up 13,117 12,400 717 5.5 12,986 12,329 657 5.1 12,917 12,120 797 6.2
Allendale County Rate Down 2,805 2,653 152 5.4 2,816 2,643 173 6.1 2,842 2,617 225 7.9
Marion County Rate Down 13,129 12,435 694 5.3 13,061 12,305 756 5.8 12,673 11,694 979 7.7
Fairfield County Rate Down 9,780 9,252 498 5.1 9,706 9,189 577 5.9 10,235 9,268 967 9.4
Orangeburg County Rate Down 34,859 33,141 1,718 4.9 34,840 32,812 2,028 5.8 35,614 33,131 2,483 7.0
Williamsburg County Rate Down 12,540 11,925 615 4.9 12,550 11,824 726 5.8 12,758 11,877 881 6.9
Horry County Rate Down 144,441 137,671 6,770 4.7 142,472 134,735 7,737 5.4 140,401 131,594 8,807 6.3
Barnwell County Rate Down 8,517 8,127 390 4.6 8,450 8,043 407 4.8 8,278 7,747 531 6.4
Georgetown County Rate Down 26,227 25,022 1,205 4.6 26,086 24,729 1,357 5.2 26,106 24,454 1,652 6.3
Chester County Rate Down 13,420 12,827 593 4.4 13,390 12,732 658 4.9 13,675 12,842 833 6.1
Clarendon County Rate Down 12,852 12,304 548 4.3 12,840 12,222 618 4.8 12,697 11,904 793 6.2
Calhoun County Rate Down 6,724 6,465 259 3.9 6,704 6,405 299 4.5 6,813 6,476 337 4.9
Darlington County Rate Down 30,538 29,345 1,193 3..9 30,466 29,195 1,271 4.2 29,943 28,335 1,608 5.4
Lee County Rate Down 6,693 6,433 260 3.9 6,712 6,391 321 4.8 6,492 6,078 414 6.4
Union County Rate Down 11,764 11,305 459 3.9 11,636 11,152 484 4.2 11,936 11,263 673 5.6
Lancaster County Rate Down 40,081 38,552 1,529 3.8 39,867 38,236 1,631 4.1 39,522 37,521 2,001 5.1
Abbeville County Rate Down 10,212 9,844 368 3.6 10,161 9,717 444 4.4 10,254 9,747 507 4.9
Colleton County Rate Down 17,067 16,459 608 3.6 16,940 16,272 668 3.9 17,313 16,370 943 5.4
Sumter County Rate Down 44,744 43,124 1,620 3.6 44,594 42,818 1,776 4.0 44,1950 41,777 2,418 5.5
McCormick County Rate Down 3,495 3,372 123 3.5

3,477

 3,329 148 4.3 3,460 3,288 172 5.0
Chesterfield County Rate Down 22,423 21,669 754 3.4 22,282 21,483 799 3.6 21,936 20,988 948 4.3
Florence County Rate Down 66,851 64,566 2,285 3.4 66,648 64,095 2,553 3.8 65,765 62,579 3,186 4.8
Greenwood County Rate Down 31,479 30,404 1,075 3.4 31,259 30,056 1,203 3.8 31,294 29,795 1,499 4.8
Laurens County Rate Down 30,272 29,257 1,015 3.4 30,012 28,950 1,062 3.5 30,481 29,014 1,467 4.8
Aiken County Rate Down 75,564 73,157 2,407 3.2 74,714 72,210 2,504 3.4 75,985 72,693 3,292 4.3
Cherokee County Rate Down 25,662 24,835 827 3.2 25,438 24,519 919 3.6 24,589 23,407 1,182 4.8
Kershaw County Rate Down 29,138 28,197 941 3.2 28,961 27,911 1,050 3.6 29,040 27,697 1,343 4.6
Beaufort County Rate Down 75,748 73,424

2,324

 3.1 75,226 72,751 2,475 3.3 73,485 70,225 3,260 4.4
Edgefield County Rate Down 10,794 10,461 333 3.1 10,711 10,353 358 3.3 10,774 10,278 496 4.6
Hampton County Rate Down 8,339 8,084 255 3.1 8,344 8,045 299 3.6 8,348 7,953 395 4.7
Oconee County Rate Down 35,770 34,679 1,091 3.1 35,500 34,319 1,181 3.3 35,042 33,450 1,592 4.5
Richland County Rate Down 197,721 191,517 6,204 3.1 196,442 189,218 7,224 3.7 199,215 190,332 8,883 4.5
York County Rate Down 136,126 131,929 4,197 3.1 135,373 130,743 4,630 3.4 134,599 128,810 5,789 4.3
Anderson County Rate Down 90,688 87,936 2,752 3.0 90,003 86,962 3,041 3.4 90,245 86,400 3,845 4.3
Pickens County Rate Down 56,900 55,177 1,723 3.0 56,489 54,540 1,949 3.5 57,056 54,561 2,495 4.4
Saluda County Rate Down 9,007 8,739 268 3.0 9,005 8,723 282 3.1 8,878 8,521 357 4.0
Berkeley County Rate Down 101,997 99,034 2,963 2.9 101,066 97,809 3,257 3.2 98,312 94,281 4,031 4.1
Dorchester County Rate Down 75,749 73,568 2,181 2.9 75,095 72,668 2,427 3.2 74,089 71,126 2,963 4.0
Jasper County Rate Down 12,345 11,981 364 2.9 12,252 11,862 390 3.2 12,203 11,703 500 4.1
Newberry County Rate Down 19,006 18,457 549 2.9 18,951 18,340 611 3.2 18,740 17,933 807 4.3
Greenville County Rate Down 251,954 244,883 7,071 2.8 249,738 242,113 7,625 3.1 249,175 239,463 9,712 3.9
Spartanburg County Rate Down 150,077 148,828 4,249 2.8 148,585 143,862 4,723 3.2 148,082 142,045 6,037 4.1
Charleston County Rate Down 208,537 203,008 5,529 2.7 206,447 200,460 5,987 2.9 204,882 197,281 7,601 3.7
Lexington County Rate Down 148,376 144,439 3,937 2.7 147,447 142,837 4,280 2.9 147,577 141,885 5,692 3.9
Charleston -
North Charleston MSA		 Rate Down 386,283 375,610 10,673 2.8 382,608 370,937 11,671 3.1 377,283 362,688 14,595 3.9
Columbia MSA Rate Down 400,746 388,639 12,107 3.0 397,995 384,283 13712 3.4 401,758 384,179 17,579 4.4
Florence MSA Rate Down 97,389 93,911 3,478 3.6 97,114 93,290 3,824 3.9 95,708 90,914 4,794 5.0
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin MSA Rate Down 429,814 417,253 12,561 2.9 426,242 412,565 13,677 3.2 426,957 409,438 17,519 4.1
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED South Carolina Rate Down 2,341,708 2,267,211 74,479 3.2 2,335,097 2,260,260 74,837 3.2 2,317,215 2,229,193 88,022 3.8

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