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.