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South Carolina's Employment Situation April 2019

Fri, 05/17/2019

 South Carolina’s Employment Situation     

April 2019

Employment Expansion Continues

Unemployment Rate Ticks Up

The number of individuals working moved higher, by an estimated 6,704 people, compared to March of 2019, establishing a new record of 2,281,003.

Unemployment estimates increased over the month by 2,772 to 79,088 people. Additionally, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate ticked upward to 3.4 percent from March’s estimate of 3.2 percent.

The state’s labor force exceeded March’s estimate by approximately 9,476 to 2,360,091 people as more people entered the labor force looking for work.

Since April of 2018, employment gains moved noticeably higher by approximately 44,606 people. Likewise, the labor force estimate rose by nearly 41,806 people. The level of unemployed moved lower by about 2,800 people.

Nationally, the unemployment rate declined to 3.6 percent from March’s estimate of 3.8 percent.

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Seasonally Adjusted1)

In April 2019, seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payrolls increased by 6,700 over the month to a level of 2,178,500, a new record for the Palmetto State.

Increase in employment was primarily due to growth in the Professional and Business Services (+3,300) industry across the state.

Additional increases were seen in Other Services (+1,200); Government (+900); Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+400); Leisure and Hospitality (+400); Financial Activities (+300); Manufacturing (+200); Construction (+100); and Education and Health Services (+100).

Information marked a slight decline in employment over the month (-200).

From April 2018 to April 2019, South Carolina’s economy has added 42,300 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs.

Industries marking strong growth were Leisure and Hospitality (+8,700); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+8,700); Manufacturing (+8,100); Professional and Business Services (+7,000); Education and Health Services (+6,500); Government (+5,300); Financial Activities (+1,400); and Other Services (+700).

Decreases were seen in Construction (-3,600) and Information (-600).

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Not Seasonally Adjusted2)

Not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payroll employment increased by 17,400 from March 2019 to April 2019 for a total of 2,181,700. Increases continued while businesses ramped up their hiring process during the spring season.

Industries seeing growth were Leisure and Hospitality (+9,600); Professional and Business Services (+3,800); Government (+1,700); Other Services (+1,400); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+700); Construction (+400); Manufacturing (+300); and Financial Activities (+200). Meanwhile, Mining and Logging industry remained flat.

Industries reporting losses were Education and Health Services (-500) and Information (-200).

Since April 2018, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs were up 39,500 in South Carolina.

Industries marking strong annual gains were Leisure and Hospitality (+9,000); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+8,700); Manufacturing (+8,400); Education and Health Services (+6,900); Government (+5,300); Professional and Business Services (+4,000); Other Services (+700); Financial Activities (+400); and Mining and Logging (+100).

Industries reporting declines were Construction (-3,200) and Information (-800).

 

 

 

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

April 2019
        March to April 2019 March to April 2019 April 2019 to April 2019 April 2019 to April 2019
Area April 2019 March 2019 April 2018 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 2,178,500 2,171,800 2,136,200 6,700 0.31 42,300 1.98
Construction 100,100 100,000 103,700 100 0.10 -3,600 -3.47
Manufacturing 255,100 254,900 247,000 200 0.08 8,100 3.28
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities0.39% 412,700 412,300 404,000 400 0.10 8,700 2.15
Information 27,600 27,800 28,200 -200 -0.72 -600 -2.13
Finance Activities 104,200 103,900 102,800 300 0.29 1,400 1.36
Professional and Business Services 298,300 295,000 291,300 3,300 1.11 7,000 2.40
Education and Health Services 257,900 257,800 251,400 100 0.04 6,500 2.59
Leisure and Hospitality 267,100 266,700 258,400 400 0.15 8,700 3.37
Other Services 77,800 76,600 77,100 1,200 1.54 700 0.91
Government 373,200 372,300 367,900 900 0.24 5,300 1.44

 

Nonfarm Employment by Industry, Not Seasonally Adjusted

Statewide

April 2019
        March to April 2019 March to April 2019 April 2019 to April 2019 April 2019 to April 2019
Area April 2019 March 2019 April 2018 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 2,181,700 2,164,300 2,142,200 17,400 0.80 39,500 1.84
Mining and Logging 4,500 4,500 4,400 0 0.00 100 2.27
Construction 100,000 99,600 103,200 400 0.40 -3,200 -3.10
Manufacturing 255,300 255,000 246,900 300 0.12 8,400 3.40
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 409,900 409,200 401,200 700 0.17 8,700 2.17
Information 27,500 27,700 28,300 -200 -0.72 -800 -2.83
Financial Activities 103,200 103,000 102,800 200 0.19 400 0.39
Professional and Business Services 295,800 292,000 291,800 3,800 1.30 4,000 1.37
Education and Health Services 258,800 259,300 251,900 -500 -0.19 6,900 2.74
Leisure and Hospitality 271,400 261,800 262,400 9,600 3.67 9,000 3.43
Other Services 78,100 76,700 77,400 1,400 1.83 700 0.90
Government 377,200 375,500 371,900 1,700 0.45 5,300 1.43

 

Nonfarm Employment by Area, Seasonally Adjusted

South Carolina & Metropolitan Seasonally Adjusted

April 2019
        March to April 2019 March to April 2019 April 2019 to April 2019 April 2019 to April 2019
Area April 2019 March 2019 April 2018 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 2,178,500 2,171,800 2,136,200 6,700 0.31 42,300 1.98
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 372,500 370,400 362,100 2,100 0.56 10,400 2.87
Columbia MSA 402,600 403,100 399,600 -500 -0.12 3,000 0.75
Florence MSA 92 400 92,200 90,800 200 0.22 1,600 1.76
Greenville/Anderson/Mauldin MSA 430,300 429,200 424,600 1,100 0.26 5,700 1.34
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 84,000 84,000 81,500 0 0.00 2,500 3.07
Myrtle Beach MSA 178,000 178,900 170,800 -900 -0.51 7,200 4.22
Spartanburg MSA 161,400 160,900 158,300 500 0.31 3,100 1.96
Sumter MSA 40,900 40,900 40,000 0 0.00 900 2.25

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 2019
        March to April 2019 March to April 2019 April 2019 to April 2019 April 2019 to April 2019
Area April 2019 March 2019 April 2018 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 2,181,700 2,164,300 2,142,200 17,400 0.80 39,500 1.84
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 372,000 369,000 363,100 3,000 0.81 8,900 2.45
Columbia MSA 402,500 402,800 399,200 -300 -0.07 3,300 0.83
Florence MSA 92,900 92,600 91,000 300 0.32 1,900 2.09
Greenville MSA 430,300 428,400 424,900 1,900 0.44 5,400 1.27
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 84,600 83,000 82,100 1,600 1.93 2,500 3.05
Myrtle Beach MSA/Conway/N. Myrtle Beach MSA 180,000 175,000 173,000 5,000 2.86 7,000 4.05
Spartanburg MSA 161,900 161,200 159,000 700 0.43 2,900 1.82
Sumter MSA 41,100 40,900 40,200 200 0.49 900 2.24

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 2019 Employment April 2019 Unemployment Level April 2019 Unemployment Rate Labor Force March 2019 Employment     March 2019 Unemployment Level March 2019 Unemployment Rate Labor Force April 2018 Employment     April 2018 Unemployment Level     April 2018 Unemployment Rate
Allendale County

Rate Down

 2,813 2,658 155 5.5 2,752 2,593 159 5.8 2,705 2,572 133 4.9
Bamberg County Rate Down 5,011 4,755 256 5.1 4,941 4,657 284 5.7 4,958 4,706 252 5.1
Marion County Rate Down 13,278 12,666 612 4.6 13,168 12,479 689 5.2 12,822 12,244 578 4.5
Fairfield County Rate Down 9,745 9,304 441 4.5 9,782 9,294 488 5.0 9,718 9,155 563 5.8
Marlboro County Rate Down 9,379 8,960 419 4.5 9,290 8,436 454 4.9 9,006 4,617 389 4.3
Orangeburg County Rate Down 34,943 33,355 1,588 4.5 34,699 32,924 1,775 5.1 34,136 32,642 1,495 4.4
Barnwell County Rate Down 8,599 3,219 380 4.4 8,497 8,084 413 4.9 8,229 7,907 322 3.9
Williamsburg County Rate Down 12,573 12,019 554 4.4 12,482 11,852 630 5.0 12,085 11,527 558 4.6
Chester County Rate Down 13,629 13,038 591 4.3 13,588 12,964 624 4.6 13,172 12,629 543 4.1
Dillon County Rate Down 13,005 12,457 548 4.2 12,834 12,234 600 4.7 12,488 12,006 482 3.9
Georgetown County Rate Down 26,512 25,463 1,049 4.0 26,214 75,007 1,192 4.5 24,986 24,068 918 3.7
Clarendon County Rate Down 12,845 12,344 501 3.9 12,700 12,143 557 4.4 12,426 11,955 471 3.8
Calhoun County Rate Down 6,710 6,465 245 3.7 6,718 6,409 269 4.0 6,563 6,300 203 3.1
Lee County Rate Down 6,723 6,472 251 3.7 6,664 6,393 271 4.1 6,539 6,245 294 4.5
Horry County Rate Down 151,918 146,385 5,533 3.6 149,253 142,07 6,406 4.3 144,733 133,975 4,758 3.3
Lancaster County Rate Down 40,613 39,162 1,451 3.6 40,585 33,977 1,608 4.0 39,140 37,959 1,181 3.0
Union County Rate Down 11,854 11,423 431 3.6 11,883 11,411 472 4.0 11,549 11,155 394 3.4
Darlington County Rate Down 30,722 29,637 1,085 3.5 30,651 29,484 1,167 3.8 29,765 28,822 943 3.2
Sumter County Rate Down 45,073 43,532 1,541 3.4 45,046 43,333 1,713 3.8 43,791 42,337 1,454 3.3
Colleton County Rate Down 17,138 16,570 568 3.3 17,012 16,381 631 3.7 16,561 15,994 567 3.4
Abbeville County Rate Down 10,271 9,938 333 3.2 10,239 9,852 387 3.8 9,928 9,625 303 3.1
Greenwood County Rate Down 31,735 30,707 1,028 3.2 31,514 30,381 1,133 3.6 30,578 29,700 878 2.9
Aiken County Rate Down 76,964 74,601 2,363 3.1 75,712 73,103 2,609 3.4 74,727 72,821 1,906 2.6
Florence County Rate Down 67,356 65,280 2,076 3.1 67,482 65,150 2,332 3.5 65,524 63,578 1,946 3.0
Laurens County Rate Down 30,348 29,411 937 3.1 30,365 29,317 1,048 3.5 29,707 28,840 867 2.9
McCormick County Rate Down 3,516 3,408 108 3.1 3,495 3,366 129 3.7 3,370 3,285 85 2.5
Cherokee County Rate Down 25,932 25,152 780 3.0 25,835 24,947 888 3.4 24,940 24,238 702 2.8
Kershaw County Rate Down 29,132 28,271 861 3.0 29,225 28,252 973 3.3 28,616 2,719 797 2.8
Chesterfield County Rate Down 22,492 21,830 662 2.9 22,311 21,561 750 3.4 21,695 21,144 551 2.5
Edgefield County Rate Down 10,917 10,601 316 2.9 10,701 10,352 349 3.3 10,630 10,342 288 2.7
Richland County Rate Down 198,513 192,737 5,776 2.9 199,732 193,216 6,516 3.3 195,132 199,798 5,334 2.7
York County Rate Down 138,164 134,142 4,022 2.9 138,144 133,679 4,465 3.2 133,613 130,072 3,541 2.7
Anderson County Rate Down 91,092 88,565 2,527 2.8 91,269 88,374 2,895 3.2 89,111 86,852 2,259 2.5
Beaufort County Rate Down 77,979 75,832 2,147 2.8 76,997 74,575 2,422 3.1 75,170 73,319 1,851 2.5
Hampton County Rate Down 8,418 8,182 236 2.8 8,258 7,993 265 3.2 8,162 7,933 229 2.8
Oconee County Rate Down 35,946 34,938 1,008 2.8 35,681 34,564 1,117 3.1 34,457 33,563 894 2.6
Pickens County Rate Down 57,149 55,552 1,597 2.8 57,302 55,464 1,838 3.2 55,911 54,498 1,413 2.5
Saluda County Rate Down 8,899 8,648 251 2.8 8,814 8,523 291 3.3 8,684 8,473 211 2.4
Berkeley County Rate Down 103,359 100,573 2,786 2.7 103,115 99,993 3,122 3.0 99,937 97,548 2,389 2.4
Jasper County Rate Down 12,600 12,258 342 2.7 12,439 12,962 377 3.0 12,166 11,884 282 2.3
Newberry County Rate Down 19,010 18,503 507 2.7 18,767 18,200 567 3.0 18,502 18,054 448 2.4
Dorchester County Rate Down 76,682 74,667 2,015 2.6 76,520 74,222 2,298 3.0 74,169 72,428 1,741 2.3
Greenville County Rate Down 253,211 246,739 6,472 2.6 253,686 246,298 7,388 2.9 247,599 241,587 5,612 2.3
Spartanburg County Rate Down 151,460 147,471 3,989 2.6 151,800 147,345 4,455 2.9 147,521 143,972 3,549 2.4
Lexington County Rate Down 148,662 144,969 3,693 2.5 149,246 145,083 4,163 2.8 146,058 142,720 3,338 2.3
Charleston County Rate Down 210,761 205,615 5,146 2.4 210,272 204,438 5,834 2.8 203,967 199,603 4,364 2.1
Charleston -
North Charleston MSA		 Rate Down 390,802 380,855 9,947 2.5 389,907 378,653 11,254 2.9 378,073 369,579 8,494 2.2
Columbia MSA Rate Down 401,661 390,394 11,267 2.8 403,517 390,817 12,700 3.1 394,771 384,325 10,446 2.6
Florence MSA Rate Down 98,078 94,917 3,161 3.2 98,133 94,634 3,499 3.6 95,289 92,400 2,889 3.0
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin MSA Rate Down 431,800 420,267 11,533 2.7 432,622 419,453 13,169 3.0 422,382 412,177 10,151 2.4
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED South Carolina Rate Up 2,360,091 2,281,003 79,088 3.4 2,350,615 2,274,299 76,316 3.2 2,318,285 2,236,397 81,888 3.5

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