The Official Web Site of the State of South Carolina

 

 

SUITS (the employer tax system) will undergo monthly maintenance and be temporarily unavailable on Sunday, May 5, from 12-4 PM. We thank you for your patience.

South Carolina’s Employment Situation March 2020

Fri, 04/17/2020

South Carolina’s Employment Situation

March 2020

 

I. Household Survey (1)

Employment: The seasonally adjusted monthly survey of households referencing the week of March 12th estimated the number of South Carolinians working moved higher, establishing a new record of 2,334,652.

  • That is an increase of 1,428 people over February 2020.
  • That is also a significant increase of 43,290 people over March 2019.

Unemployment: Unemployment estimates increased to 61,898 people.

  • That is a significant increase of 3,267 people since February 2020 and a significant decrease of 17,983 over March 2019.
  • The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 2.6 percent over the month from February’s rate of 2.5 percent.
  • Nationally, the unemployment rate moved higher from 3.5 percent in February to 4.4 percent in March, thus reflecting some of the early effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the household survey data. This change is the largest over-the-month since January of 1975, when it was also 0.9 percentage point.

Labor force: The state’s estimated labor force (people working plus unemployed people looking for work) increased to 2,396,550.

  • That is an increase of 4,695 people since February 2020.
  • That is an increase of 25,307 individuals over March 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 13,400 nonfarm payroll jobs over the month to a level of 2,203,700.

  • Industries reporting increases in employment were Government (+900); Financial Activities (+600); and Manufacturing (+200).
  • Decreases were noticed in the Leisure and Hospitality (-10,200); Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-2,200); Construction (-900); Other Services (-800); Education and Health Services (-700); Information (-100); and Professional and Business Services (-100) industries.

From March 2019 to March 2020, South Carolina’s economy has added 28,900 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs.

  • Industries with strong growth were Professional and Business Services (+8,700); Government (+7,800); Leisure and Hospitality (+3,500); Construction (+2,700); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,900); Education and Health Services (+1,900); Manufacturing (+1,300); Financial Activities (+700); Other Services (+200); and Information (+200).
  • No industries reported decreases over the year.

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

Not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payroll employment increased by 100 from February 2020 to March 2020 for a total of 2,195,900.

  • Industries showing growth during this period were: Government (+2,300); Education and Health Services (+1,100); Financial Activities (+300); and Information (+200).
  • Industries reporting declines were Leisure and Hospitality (-1,800); Construction (-1,100); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-400); Other Services (-300); and Professional and Business Services (-200). Mining and Logging and Manufacturing remained flat.

Since March 2019, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs were up 27,600 overall in South Carolina.

  • Industries marking prominent annual gains were Professional and Business Services (+7,400); Government (+6,800); Leisure and Hospitality (+4,800); Education and Health Services (+2,800); Construction (+2,500); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,500); Manufacturing (+1,100); Financial Activities (+500); Information (+100); and Other Services (+100).
  • No industries recorded an over the year loss. Mining and Logging remained flat

 

Footnote: It is important to keep in mind that the March survey reference periods for both surveys predated many coronavirus-related business and school closures in the second half of the month.

 

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

March
        Feb. to March. 2020 Feb. to Mar. 2020  Mar. 2019 to Mar. 2020 Mar. 2019 to Mar. 2020
Area March 2020 February 2020 March 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 2,203,700 2,217,100 2,174,800 -13,400 -0.61% 28,900 1.33%
Construction 109,000 109,900 106,300 -900 -0.83% 2,700 2.54%
Manufacturing 258,400 258,200 257,100 200 0.08% 1,300 0.51%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 408,000 410,200 406,100 -2,200 -0.54% 1,900 0.47%
Information 27,200 27,300 27,000 -100 -0.37% 200 0.74%
Finance Activities 104,600 104,000 103,900 600 0.57% 700 0.67%
Professional and Business Services 305,300 305,400 296,600 -100 -0.03% 8,700 2.93%
Education and Health Services 259,000 259,700 257,100 -700 -0.27% 1,900 0.74%
Leisure and Hospitality 271,500 281,700 268,000 -10,200 -3.76% 3,500 1.31%
Other Services 78,800 79,600 78,600 -800 -1.02% 200 0.25%
Government 377,500 376,600 369,700 900 0.24% 7,800 2.11%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Industry, Not Seasonally Adjusted

Statewide

March
        Feb. to Mar. 2020 Feb. to Mar. 2020 Mar. 2019 to Mar. 2020 Mar. 2019 to Mar. 2020  
Area March 2020 February 2020 March 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 2,195,900 2,195,800 2,168,300 100 0.00% 27,600 1.27%
Mining and Logging 4,400 4,400 4,400 0 0.00% 0 0.00%
Construction 108,100 109,200 105,600 -1,100 -1.01% 2,500 2.37%
Manufacturing 258,400 258,400 257,300 0 0.00% 1,100 0.43%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 404,700 405,100 403,200 -400 -0.10% 1,500 0.37%
Information 27,200 27,000 27,100 200 0.74% 100 0.37%
Financial Activities 103,400 103,100 102,900 300 0.29% 500 0.49%
Professional and Business Services 302,800 303,000 295,400 -200 -0.07% 7,400 2.51%
Education and Health Services 260,500 259,400 257,700 1,100 0.42% 2,800 1.09%
Leisure and Hospitality 267,200 269,000 262,400 -1,800 -0.67% 4,800 1.83%
Other Services 78,700 79,000 78,600 -300 -0.38% 100 0.13%
Government 380,500 378,200 373,700 2,300 0.61% 6,800 1.82%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Area, Seasonally Adjusted

South Carolina & Metropolitan Seasonally Adjusted

March
        Feb. to Mar. 2020 Feb. to Mar. 2020  Mar. 2019 to Mar. 2020 Mar. 2019 to Mar. 2020 
Area March 2020 February 2020 March 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 2,203,700 2,217,100 2,174,800 -13,400 -0.61% 28,900 1.33%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 376,600 380,300 373,700 -3,700 -0.98% 2,900 0.78%
Columbia MSA 407,500 407,700 401,400 -200 -0.05% 6,100 1.52%
Florence MSA 91,600 91,700 91,900 -100 -0.11% -300 -0.33%
Greenville/Anderson/Mauldin MSA 433,600 434,300 432,200 -700 -0.16% 1,400 0.32%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 85,400 86,800 83,500 -1,400 -1.64% 1,900 2.28%
Myrtle Beach MSA 177,500 178,800 174,100 -1,300 -0.73% 3,400 1.95%
Spartanburg MSA 164,000 163,800 163,100 200 0.12% 900 0.55%
Sumter MSA 39,800 40,000 39,500 -200 -0.50% 300 0.76%

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

March
        Feb. to Mar. 2020 Feb. to Mar. 2020    Mar. 2019 to Mar. 2020 Mar. 2019 to Mar. 2020 
Area March 2020 February 2020 March 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 2,195,900 2,195,800 2,168,300 100 0.00% 27,600 1.27%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 374,800 376,500 372,600 -1,700 -0.45% 2,200 0.59%
Columbia MSA 407,300 405,500 400,300 1,800 0.44% 7,000 1.75%
Florence MSA 91,900 91,300 92,000 600 0.66% (100) -0.11%
Greenville MSA 433,100 432,300 431,000 800 0.19% 2,100 0.49%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 84,500 84,500 82,600 0 0.00% 1,900 2.30%
Myrtle Beach MSA/Conway/N. Myrtle Beach MSA 174,000 171,000 170,800 3,000 1.75% 3,200 1.87%
Spartanburg MSA 164,200 163,300 163,200 900 0.55% 1,000 0.61%
Sumter MSA 39,800 39,900 39,600 -100 -0.25% 200 0.51%

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 Mar. 2020 Unemployment Mar. 2020 Unemployment Level Mar. 2020 Unemployment Rate Labor Force Feb. 2020 Unemployment     Feb. 2020 Unemployment Level Feb. 2020 Unemployment Rate Labor Force Mar. 2019 Unemployment     Mar. 2019 Unemployment Level     Mar. 2019 Unemployment Rate
Allendale County - 2,685 2,511 174 6.5 2,705 2,530 175 6.5 2,706 2,548 158 5.8
Bamberg County Rate Up 4,996 4,680 316 6.3 5,011 4,723 288 5.7 4,939 4,654 285 5.8
Lee County Rate Down 6,715 6,379 336 5.0 6,718 6,363 355 5.3 6,529 6,259 270 4.1
Williamsburg County - 12,098 11,511 587 4.9 12,128 11,530 598 4.9 12,140 11,510 630 5.2
Marlboro County Rate Up 9,342 8,898 444 4.8 9,223 8,788 435 4.7 9,194 8,742 452 4.9
Orangeburg County - 35,587 33,895 1,692 4.8 35,556 33,862 1,694 4.8 35,078 33,301 1,777 5.1
Barnwell County Rate Up 8,304 7,912 392 4.7 8,274 7,890 384 4.6 8,277 7,865 412 5.0
Chester County Rate Up 13,668 13,046 622 4.6 13,625 13,031 594 4.4 13,388 12,763 625 4.7
Fairfield County Rate Down 9,748 9,320 428 4.4 9,750 9,301 449 4.6 9,585 9,097 488 5.1
Marion County Rate Down 13,053 12,477 576 4.4 12,950 12,363 587 4.5 13,093 12,403 690 5.3
Clarendon County Rate Down 12,707 12,191 516 4.1 12,797 12,263 534 4.2 12,592 12,036 556 4.4
Dillon County Rate Down 13,263 12,724 539 4.1 13,309 12,732 577 4.3 12,948 12,346 602 4.6
Georgetown County Rate Down 25,931 24,896 1,035 4.0 25,769 24,686 1,083 4.2 25,256 24,053 1,203 4.8
McCormick County Rate Down 3,443 3,307 136 4.0 3,446 3,303 143 4.1 3,402 3,273 129 3.8
Horry County Rate Down 149,161 143,409 5,752 3.9 147,606 141,363 6,243 4.2 146,217 139,660 6,557 4.5
Union County - 11,891 11,424 467 3.9 11,811 11,354 457 3.9 11,742 11,270 472 4.0
Abbeville County Rate Up 10,176 9,794 382 3.8 10,135 9,761 374 3.7 10,140 9,757 383 3.8
Sumter County - 44,327 42,694 1,633 3.7 44,352 42,722 1,630 3.7 43,724 42,015 1,709 3.9
Calhoun County Rate Up 6,676 6,438 238 3.6 6,687 6,453 234 3.5 6,557 6,289 268 4.1
Lancaster County - 41,973 40,471 1,502 3.6 41,982 40,464 1,518 3.6 41,240 39,604 1,636 4.0
Cherokee County - 25,618 24,748 870 3.4 25,323 24,463 860 3.4 25,403 24,515 888 3.5
Colleton County - 16,874 16,307 567 3.4 16,920 16,346 574 3.4 16,720 16,089 631 3.8
Greenwood County Rate Down 31,677 30,597 1,080  3.4 31,571 30,468 1,103 3.5 31,616 30,479 1,137 3.6
Darlington County Rate Down 30,517 29,503 1,014 3.3 30,392 29,351 1,041 3.4 30,391 29,229 1,162 3.8
Kershaw County Rate Down 29,798 28,829 969 3.3 29,769 28,765 1,004 3.4 29,117 28,137 980 3.4
Laurens County - 30,601 29,629 972 3.2 30,618 29,624 994 3.2 30,296 29,246 1,050 3.5
Florence County - 67,526 65,442 2,084 3.1 67,084 65,024 2,060 3.1 67,178 64,843 2,335 3.5
Aiken County Rate Down 76,034 73,779 2,255 3.0 75,719 73,387 2,332 3.1 75,334 72,710 2,624 3.5
Chesterfield County Rate Down 22,259 21,581 678 3.0 22,305 21,607 698 3.1 22,131 21,384 747 3.4
Edgefield County - 10,830 10,505 325 3.0 10,872 10,545 327 3.0 10,714 10,360 354 3.3
Hampton County Rate Down 8,393 8,153 240 2.9 8,467 8,217 250 3.0 8,261 8,000 261 3.2
Pickens County Rate Down 58,294 56,602 1,692 2.9 58,179 56,460 1,719 3.0 57,713 55,862 1,851 3.2
Anderson County Rate Down 92,541 89,922 2,619 2.9 92,313 89,639 2,674 2.9 91,648 88,737 2,911 3.2
Newberry County - 19,251 18,721 530 2.8 19,364 18,814 550 2.8 19,081 18,513 568 3.0
Oconee County Rate Down 35,536 34,536 1,000 2.8 35,400 34,356 1,044 2.9 34,838 33,708 1,130 3.2
Richland County Rate Down 202,691 197,031 5,660 2.8 201,174 195,433 5,741 2.9 198,721 192,163 6,558 3.3
Saluda County - 8,896 8,645 251 2.8 9,059 8,805 254 2.8 8,748 8,457 291 3.3
York County Rate Down 142,623 138,575 4,048 2.8 142,455 138,377 4,078 2.9 140,154 135,598 4,556 3.3
Beaufort County Rate Down 78,669 76,542 2,127 2.7 78,918 76,709 2,209 2.8 76,733 74,282 2,451 3.2
Berkeley County - 105,453 102,618 2,835 2.7 105,429 102,563 2,866 2.7 104,249 101,100 3,149 3.0
Spartanburg County Rate Down 155,816 151,605 4,211 2.7 154,756 150,474 4,282 2.8 154,059 149,536 4,523 2.9
Dorchester County - 79,126 77,085 2,041 2.6 79,178 77,110 2,068 2.6 78,294 75,951 2,343 3.0
Jasper County Rate Down 12,782 12,450 332 2.6 12,977 12,630 347 2.7 12,496 12,113 383 3.1
Greenville County Rate Down 258,668 252,089 6,579 2.5 257,896 251,124 6,772 2.6 256,213 248,753 7,460 2.9
Charleston County - 214,084 208,967 5,117 2.4 214,939 209,712 5,227 2.4 211,865 205,982 5,883 2.8
Lexington County Rate Down 152,682 149,016 3,666 2.4 152,218 148,460 3,758 2.5 149,624 145,423 4,201 2.8
Charleston - North Charleston MSA - 398,663 388,670 9,993 2.5 399,546 389,385 10,161 2.5 394,408 383,033 11,375 2.9
Columbia MSA Rate Down 410,491 399,279 11,212 2.7 408,657 397,217 11,440 2.8 402,352 389,566 12,786 3.2
Florence MSA - 98,043 94,945 3,098 3.2 97,476 94,375 3,101 3.2 97,569 94,072 3,497 3.6
Greenville -Anderson- Mauldin MSA Rate Down 440,104 428,242 11,862 2.7 439,006 426,847 12,159 2.8 435,870 422,598 13,272 3.0
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED South Carolina Rate Up 2,396,550 2,334,652 61,898 2.6 2,391,855 2,333,224 58,631 2.5 2,371,243 2,291,362 79,881 3.4

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