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South Carolina Employment Situation April 2020

Fri, 05/22/2020

South Carolina’s Employment Situation

April 2020

 

Employment Falls Severely in Effort to Contain Pandemic

Unemployment Rate Rises Sharply

 

I. Household Survey (1)

Employment: The seasonally adjusted monthly survey of households estimated the number of South Carolinians working fell to 2,089,889.

  • That is a significant decrease of 238,913 people over March 2020.
  • That is also a significant decrease of 203,982 people over April 2019.

Unemployment: Unemployment estimates increased to 288,022 people.

  • That is a significant increase of 211,653 people since March 2020 and a significant increase of 210,351 over April 2019. This is the largest over-the-month increase as well as the highest level on record for the state.
  • The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to a record 12.1 percent in April from March’s revised rate of 3.2 percent. This is the highest rate and the largest over-the-month increase in the history of the data series going back to 1976.

Nationally, the unemployment rate soared higher from 4.4 percent in March to 14.7 percent in April, thus reflecting the continued effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the household survey data. This is the highest rate and the largest over-the-month increase in the history of the series dating back to January 1948.

Labor force: The state’s estimated labor force (people working plus unemployed people looking for work) decreased to 2,377,911.

  • That is a decrease of 27,260 people since March 2020.
  • That is an increase of 6,369 individuals over April 2019.

II. Current Employment Survey (2)

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Seasonally Adjusted (3))

The Current Employment Survey of businesses in South Carolina marked a decrease of 272,700 nonfarm payroll jobs over the month to a level of 1,925,000.

  • No industries reported gains.
  • Decreases were noticed in the Leisure and Hospitality (-125,300); Professional and Business Services (-40,700); Education and Health Services (-28,900); Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-27,900); Government (-16,300); Manufacturing (-12,900); Other Services (-9,200); Construction (-6,100); Financial Activities (-4,900); and Information (-400) industry.

 

From April 2019 to April 2020, South Carolina’s economy has lost 254,600 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs.

  • No industries reported gains over the year
  • Decreases were reported in Leisure and Hospitality (-126,500); Professional and Business Services (-34,000); Education and Health Services (-27,700); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-25,600); Manufacturing (-12,600); Other Services (-9,200); Government (-9,100); Financial Activities (-5,700); Construction (-3,600); and Information (-500).

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

Not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 256,600 from March 2020 to April 2020 for a total of 1,933,400.

  • No industries showed growth during this period.
  • Industries reporting declines were Leisure and Hospitality (-116,900); Professional and Business Services (-36,100); Education and Health Services (-29,900); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-26,200); Government (-15,400); Manufacturing (-13,200); Other Services (-8,700); Construction (-4,900); Financial Activities (-4,500); Information (-700); and Mining and Logging (-100).

Since April 2019, not seasonally adjusted non-farm jobs were down 253,700 overall in South Carolina.

  • No industries has shown annual gains.
  • Industries recording an over the year loss are Leisure and Hospitality (-127,200); Professional and Business Services (-32,100); Education and Health Services (-27,800); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-24,900); Manufacturing (-13,000); Other Services (-9,200); Government (-9,000); Financial Activities (-6,300); Construction (-3,300); Information (-800); and Mining and Logging (-100).
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

April
        Mar. to April 2020 Mar. to April 2020  April 2019 to April 2020 April 2019 to April 2020
Area April 2020 March 2020 April 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 1,925,000 2,197,700 2,179,600 -272,700 -14.17% -254,600 -11.68%
Construction 102,900 109,000 106,500 -6,100 -5.93% -3,600 -3.38%
Manufacturing 245,500 258,400 258,100 -12,900 -5.25% -12,600 -4.88%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 380,800 408,700 406,400 -27,900 -7.33% -25,600 -6.30%
Information 27,100 27,500 27,600 -400 -1.48% -500 -1.81%
Finance Activities 98,500 103,400 104,200 -4,900 -4.97% -5,700 -5.47%
Professional and Business Services 263,100 303,800 297,100 -40,700 -15.47% -34,000 -11.44%
Education and Health Services 229,400 258,300 257,100 -28,900 -12.60% -27,700 -10.77%
Leisure and Hospitality 142,400 267,700 268,900 -125,300 -87.99% -126,500 -47.04%
Other Services 69,700 78,900 78,900 -9,200 -13.20% -9,200 -11.66%
Government 361,300 377,600 370,400 -16,300 -4.51% -9,100 -2.46%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Industry, Not Seasonally Adjusted

Statewide

April
        Mar. to April 2020 Mar. to April 2020 April 2019 to April 2020 April 2019 to April 2020  
Area April 2020 March 2020 April 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 1,933,400 2,190,000 0 2,187,100 -256,600 -11.72% -253,700 -11.60%
Mining and Logging 4,300 4,400 4,400 -100 -2.27% -100  -2.27%
Construction 103,100 108,000 106,400 -4,900 -4.54% -3,300 -3.10%
Manufacturing 245,200 258,400 258,200 -13,200 -5.11% -13,000 -5.03%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 379,100 405,300 404,000 -26,200 -6.46% -24,900 -6.16%
Information 26,900 27,600 27,700 -700 -2.54% -800 -2.89%
Financial Activities 97,700 102,200 104,000 -4,500 -4.40% -6,300 -6.06%
Professional and Business Services 265,300 301,400 297,400 -36,100 -11.98% -32,100 -10.79%
Education and Health Services 229,900 259,800 257,700 -29,900 -11.51% -27,800 -10.79%
Leisure and Hospitality 146,400 263,300 273,600 -116,900 -44.40% -127,200 -46.49%
Other Services 70,100 78,800 79,300 -8,700 -11.04% -9,200 -11.60%
Government 365,400 380,800 374,400 -15,400 -4.04% -9,000 -2.40%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Area, Seasonally Adjusted

South Carolina & Metropolitan Seasonally Adjusted

April
        March to April 2020 March to April 2020  April 2019 to April 2020 April 2019 to April 2020 
Area April 2020 March 2020 April 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 1,925,000 2,197,700 2,179,600 -272,700 -14.17% -254,600 -11.68%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 328,800 372,600 373,500 -43,800 -13.32% -44,700 -11.97%
Columbia MSA 364,000 406,500 402,600 -42,500 -11.68% -38,600 -9.59%
Florence MSA 82,500 91,800 92,300 -9,300 -11.27% -9,800 -10.62%
Greenville/Anderson/Mauldin MSA 388,000 431,700 431,900 -43,700 -11.26% -43,900 -10.16%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 73,300 86,100 83,600 -12,800 -17.46% -10,300 -12.32%
Myrtle Beach MSA 132,300 176,300 173,500 -44,000 -33.26% -41,200 -23.75%
Spartanburg MSA 146,400 164,000 163,100 -17,600 -12.02% -16,700 -10.24%
Sumter MSA 36,900 40,000 39,800 -3,100 -8.40% -2,900 -7.29%

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

April
        Mar. to April 2020 Mar. to April. 2020    April 2019 to April 2020 April 2019 to April 2020 
Area April 2020 March 2020 April 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 1,933,400 2,190,000 2,187,100 -256,600 -11.72% -253,700 -11.60%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 328,700 370,800 375,200 -42,100 -11.35% -46,500 -12.39%
Columbia MSA 363,500 406,100 403,000 -42,600 -10.49% -39,500 -9.80%
Florence MSA 82,900 92,100 92,300 -9,200 -9.99% -9,400 -10.18%
Greenville MSA 389,000 431,500 432,500 -42,500 -9.85% -43,500 -10.06%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 73,400 85,200 84,100 -11,800 -13.85% -10,700 -12.72%
Myrtle Beach MSA/Conway/N. Myrtle Beach MSA 135,300 173,100 176,300 -37,800 -21.84% -41,000 -23.26%
Spartanburg MSA 146,800 164,200 163,400 -17,400 -10.60% -16,600 -10.16%
Sumter MSA 37,200 40,000 40,100 -2,800 -7.00% -2,900 -7.23%

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 April 2020 Unemployment April 2020 Unemployment Level April 2020 Unemployment Rate Labor Force Mar. 2020 Unemployment     Mar. 2020 Unemployment Level Mar. 2020 Unemployment Rate Labor Force April 2019 Unemployment     April 2019 Unemployment Level     April 2019 Unemployment Rate
Horry County Rate Up 147,357 113,966 33,391 22.7 149,105 143,233 5,872 3.9 148,542 143,713 4,829 3.3
Union County Rate Up 12,667 10,323 2,344 18.5 11,921 11,447 474 4.0 11,612 11,245 367 3.2
Marlboro County Rate Up 9,560 7,887 1,673 17.5 9,246 8,798 448 4.8 9,142 8,787 355 3.9
Cherokee County Rate Up 26,704 22,318 4,386 16.4 25,818 24,931 887 3.4 25,153 24,487 666 2.6
Georgetown County Rate Up 26,182 22,187 3,995 15.3 25,996 24,919 1,077 4.1 25,711 24,808 903 3.5
Spartanburg County Rate Up 161,055 137,034 24,021 14.9 156,207 151,913 4,294 2.7 152,648 149,195 3,453 2.3
Chester County Rate Up 13,347 11,403 1,944 14.6 13,691 13,055 636 4.6 13,307 12,801 506 3.8
Laurens County Rate Up 31,363 26,896 4,467 14.2 30,624 29,624 1,000 3.3 30,087 29,286 801 2.7
Abbeville County Rate Up 10,107 8,709 1,398 13.8 10,150 9,763 387 3.8 10,013 9,733 280 2.8
Orangeburg County Rate Up 35,089 30,429 4,660 13.3 35,459 33,742 1,717 4.8 34,910 33,554 1,356 3.9
Charleston County Rate Up 212,814 185,087 27,727 13.0 212,870 207,646 5,224 2.5 211,127 206,705 4,422 2.1
Lancaster County Rate Up 40,538 35,311 5,227 12.9 42,034 40,501 1,533 3.6 40,945 39,684 1,261 3.1
Allendale County Rate Up 2,575 2,246 329 12.8 2,639 2,464 175 6.6 2,677 2,546 131 4.9
Anderson County Rate Up 93,272 81,525 11,747 12.6 92,571 89,906 2,665 2.9 90,929 88,764 2,165 2.4
Greenville County Rate Up 260,275 228,430 31,845 12.2 258,732 252,042 6,690 2.6 254,309 248,739 5,570 2.2
Oconee County Rate Up 35,393 31,109 4,284 12.1 35,468 34,454 1,014 2.9 34,785 33,915 870 2.5
Williamsburg County Rate Up 11,886 10,446 1,440 12.1 12,115 11,515 600 5.0 12,102 11,631 471 3.9
Lee County Rate Up 6,631 5,835 796 12.0 6,722 6,377 345 5.1 6,519 6,303 216 3.3
York County Rate Up 136,997 120,623 16,374 12.0 142,802 138,675 4,127 2.9 139,190 135,694 3,496 2.5
Beaufort County Rate Up 76,501 67,424 9,077 11.9 79,536 77,362 2,174 2.7 77,218 75,365 1,853 2.4
Marion County Rate Up 12,512 11,020 1,492 11.9 13,012 12,425 587 4.5 13,085 12,562 523 4.0
Bamberg County Rate Up 4,813 4,248 4,248 11.7 4,986 4,665 321 6.4 4,990 4,770 220 4.4
McCormick County Rate Up 3,316 2,929 387 11.7 3,393 3,256 137 4.0 3,411 3,319 92 2.7
Fairfield County Rate Up 9,558 8,452 1,106 11.6 9,757 9,319 438 4.5 9,525 9,150 375 3.9
Clarendon County Rate Up 12,687 11,240 1,447 11.4 12,729 12,202 527 4.1 12,723 12,296 427 3.4
Greenwood County Rate Up 30,780 27,309 3,471 11.3 31,597 30,499 1,098 3.5 31,338 30,458 880 2.8
Dorchester County Rate Up 76,958 68,330 8,628 11.2 78,655 76,584 2,071 2.6 77,988 76,236 1,752 2.2
Sumter County Rate Up 45,226 40,225 5,001 11.1 44,621 42,953 1,668 3.7 43,664 42,352 1,312 3.0
Chesterfield County Rate Up 21,705 19,316 2,389 11.0 22,238 21,549 689 3.1 22,046 21,480 566 2.6
Pickens County Rate Up 57,613 51,254 6,359 11.0 58,314 56,594 1,720 2.9 57,225 55,849 1,376 2.4
Berkeley County Rate Up 101,834 90,936 10,898 10.7 104,833 101,948 2,885 2.8 103,849 101,456 2,393 2.3
Barnwell County Rate Up 7,822 7,007 815 10.4 8,160 7,761 399 4.9 8,322 7,998 324 3.9
Darlington County Rate Up 30,131 27,028 3,103 10.3 30,646 29,617 1,029 3.4 30,296 29,372 924 3.0
Edgefield County Rate Up 10,846 9,729 1,117 10.3 10,848 10,520 328 3.0 10,806 10,532 274 2.5
Aiken County Rate Up 75,469 67,974 7,495 9.9 76,160 73,880 2,280 3.0 75,655 73,627 2,028 2.7
Jasper County Rate Up 12,091 10,961 1,130 9.3 12,911 12,576 335 2.6 12,577 12,283 294 2.3
Kershaw County Rate Up 28,827 26,133 2,694 9.3 29,817 28,830 987 3.3 29,034 28,294 740 2.5
Dillon County Rate Up 12,782 11,612 1,170 9.2 13,306 12,755 551 4.1 12,925 12,456 469 3.6
Colleton County Rate Up 16,225 14,759 1,466 9.0 16,934 16,360 574 3.4 16,774 16,291 483 2.9
Richland County Rate Up 195,439 177,807 17,632 9.0 202,793 197,020 5,773 2.8 197,612 192,657 4,955 2.5
Newberry County Rate Up 18,485 16,863 1,622 8.8 19,038 18,502 536 2.8 19,185 18,753 432 2.3
Calhoun County Rate Up 6,401 5,850 551 8.6 6,679 6,438 241 3.6 6,542 6,335 207 3.2
Florence County Rate Up 65,224 59,607 5,617 8.6 67,814 65,697 2,117 3.1 66,724 64,951 1,773 2.7
Lexington County Rate Up 145,978 134,758 11,220 7.7 152,742 149,016 3,726 2.4 149,204 146,027 3,177 2.1
Hampton County Rate Up 7,966 7,395 571 7.2 8,431 8,190 241 2.9 8,373 8,172 201 2.4
Saluda County Rate Up 8,618 8,004 614 7.1 8,903 8,647 256 2.9 8,834 8,619 215 2.4
Charleston - North Charleston MSA Rate Up 391,606 344,353 47,253 12.1 396,358 386,178 10,180 2.6 392,964 384,397 8,567 2.2
Columbia MSA Rate Up 394,821 361,004 33,817 8.6 410,691 399,270 11,421 2.8 400,751 391,082 9,669 2.4
Florence MSA Rate Up 95,355 86,635 8,720 9.1 98,460 95,314 3,146 3.2 97,020 94,323 2,697 2.8
Greenville -Anderson- Mauldin MSA Rate Up 442,523 388,105 54,418 12.3 440,241 428,166 12,075 2.7 432,550 422,638 9,912 2.3
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED South Carolina Rate Up 2,377,911 2,089,889 288,022 12.1 2,405,171 2,328,802 76,369 3.2 2,371,542 2,293,871 77,671 3.3

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