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South Carolina Employment Situation May 2020

Fri, 06/19/2020

South Carolina’s Employment Situation

May 2020

Employment Ticks Up Slightly as Businesses Start to Reopen

 

I. Household Survey (1)

Employment: The seasonally adjusted monthly survey of households estimated the number of South Carolinians working increased to 2,118,575.

  • That is a significant increase of 45,105 people over April 2020.
  • That is also a significant decrease of 179,177 people over May 2019.

Unemployment: Unemployment estimates showed little movement, decreasing to 303,218 people

  • That is a decrease of 142 people since April 2020 and a significant increase of 229,360 over May 2019.
  • The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 12.5 percent in May from April’s revised estimate of 12.8 percent.

Nationally, the unemployment rate declined from 14.7 percent in April to 13.3 percent in May, thus reflecting the continued effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the household survey data

Labor force: The state’s estimated labor force (people working plus unemployed people looking for work) increased to 2,421,793.

  • That is a significant increase of 44,963 people over April 2020.
  • That is a significant increase of 50,183 individuals over May 2019.

 

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Seasonally Adjusted(3))

The Current Employment Survey of businesses in South Carolina marked an increase of 67,600 nonfarm payroll jobs over the month to a level of 1,989,400.

  • Industries reporting gains were Leisure and Hospitality (+36,300); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+10,600); Education and Health Services (+8,700); Professional and Business Services (+5,600); Construction (+3,900); Other Services (+3,800); Manufacturing (+2,600); and Financial Activities (+2,400).
  • Decreases were noticed in the Government (-6,200) and Information (-100) industries.

From May 2019 to May 2020, South Carolina’s economy has lost 193,000 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs.

  • Construction was the only industry to report a gain (+300) over the year.
  • Decreases were reported in Leisure and Hospitality (-92,800); Professional and Business Services (-27,300); Education and Health Services (-20,300); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-20,000); Government (-14,000); Manufacturing (-10,700); Other Services (-5,400); Financial Activities (-2,000); and Information (-600).

 

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

Not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payroll employment increased by 75,500 from April 2020 to May 2020 for a total of 2,005,600.

  • Industries reporting growth during this period were Leisure and Hospitality (+41,300); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+12,200); Education and Health Services (+8,100); Professional and Business Services (+6,400); Construction (+4,300); Other Services (+4,000); Manufacturing (+3,200); and Financial Activities (+3,100).
  • Industries reporting declines were Government (-6,900) and Information (-200).
  • Mining and Logging remained flat.

Since May 2019, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs were down 194,000, overall, in South Carolina.

  • Construction was the only industry to show an annual gain (+300).
  •  Industries recording an over-the-year loss are Leisure and Hospitality (-93,800); Professional and Business Services (-25,700); Education and Health Services (-21,100); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-19,800); Government (-14,200); Manufacturing (-10,500); Other Services (-5,400); Financial Activities (-2,400); Information (-1,200); and Mining and Logging (-200).
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

May 2020
        April to May 2020 April to May 2020  May 2019 to May 2020 May 2019 to May 2020
Area May 2020 April 2020 May 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 1,989,400 1,921,800 2,182,400 67,600 3.52% -193,000 -8.84%
Construction 106,600 102,700 106,300 3,900 3.80% 300 0.28%
Manufacturing 247,500 244,900 258,200 2,600 1.06% -10,700 -4.14%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 387,200 376,600 407,200 10,600 2.81% -20,000 -4.91%
Information 26,700 26,800 27,300 -100 -0.37% -600 -2.20%
Finance Activities 102,400 100,000 104,400 2,400 2.40% -2,000 -1.92%
Professional and Business Services 270,500 264,900 297,800 5,600 2.11% -27,300 -9.17%
Education and Health Services 237,200 228,500 257,500 8,700 3.81% -20,300 -7.88%
Leisure and Hospitality 176,200 139,900 269,000 36,300 25.95% -92,800 -34.50%
Other Services 73,800 70,000 79,200 3,800 5.43% -5,400 -6.82%
Government 357,000 363,200 371,000 -6,200 -1.71% -14,000 -3.77%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Industry, Not Seasonally Adjusted

Statewide

May 2020
        April to May 2020 April to May 2020 May 2019 to May 2020 May 2019 to May 2020  
Area May 2020 April 2020 May 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 2,005,600 1,930,100 2,199,600 75,500 3.91% -194,000 -8.82%
Mining and Logging 4,300 4,300 4,500 0 0.00% -200 -4.44%
Construction 107,200 102,900 106,900 4,300 4.18% 300 0.28%
Manufacturing 247,700 244,500 258,200 3,200 1.31% -10,500 -4.07%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 387,100 374,900 406,900 12,200 3.25% -19,800 -4.87%
Information 26,500 26,700 27,700 -200 -0.75% -1,200 -4.33%
Financial Activities 102,300 99,200 104,700 3,100 3.13% -2,400 -2.29%
Professional and Business Services 273,500 267,100 299,200 6,400 2.40% -25,700 -8.59%
Education and Health Services 237,100 229,000 258,200 8,100 3.54% -21,100 -8.17%
Leisure and Hospitality 185,200 143,900 279,000 41,300 28.70% -93,800 -33.62%
Other Services 74,400 70,400 79,800 4,000 5.68% -5,400 -6.77%
Government 360,300 367,200 374,500 -6,900 -1.88% -14,200 -3.79%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Area, Seasonally Adjusted

South Carolina & Metropolitan Seasonally Adjusted

May 2020
        April to May 2020 April to May 2020  May 2019 to May 2020 May 2019 to May 2020 
Area May 2020 April 2020 May 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 1,989,400 1,921,800 2,182,400 67,600 3.52% -193,000 -8.84%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 332,200 325,300 374,700 6,900 2.12% -42,500 -11.34%
Columbia MSA 376,700 367,200 402,900 9,500 2.59% -26,200 -6.50%
Florence MSA 85,100 83,400 92,400 1,700 2.04% -7,300 -7.90%
Greenville/Anderson/Mauldin MSA 395,000 385,800 432,800 9,200 2.38% -37,800 -8.73%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 75,800 72,400 83,500 3,400 4.70% -7,700 -9.22%
Myrtle Beach MSA 141,800 131,300 173,800 10,500 8.00% -32,000 -18.41%
Spartanburg MSA 148,900 146,800 163,500 2,100 1.43% -14,600 -8.93%
Sumter MSA 37,600 36,800 39,800 800 2.17% -2,200 -5.53%

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

May 2020
        April to May 2020 April to May 2020    May 2019 to May 2020 May 2019 to May 2020 
Area May 2020 April 2020 May 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 2,005,600 1,930,100 2,199,600 75,500 3.91% -194,000 -8.82%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 334,100 325,200 378,300 8,900 2.74% -44,200 -11.68%
Columbia MSA 378,700 366,600 404,000 12,100 3.30% -25,300 -6.26%
Florence MSA 85,800 83,800 92,900 2,000 2.39% -7,100 -7.64%
Greenville MSA 397,100 386,800 434,100 10,300 2.66% -37,000 -8.52%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 77,200 72,500 84,900 4,700 6.48% -7,700 -9.07%
Myrtle Beach MSA/Conway/N. Myrtle Beach MSA 147,700 134,300 179,800 13,400 9.98% -32,100 -17.85%
Spartanburg MSA 149,400 147,200 164,000 2,200 1.49% -14,600 -8.90%
Sumter MSA 37,800 37,100 40,100 700 1.89% -2,300 -5.74%

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 May 2020 Employment May 2020 Unemployment Level May 2020 Unemployment Rate Labor Force April 2020 Employment     April 2020 Unemployment Level April 2020 Unemployment Rate Labor Force May 2019 Employment     May 2019 Unemployment Level     May 2019 Unemployment Rate
Horry County Rate Down 151,121 122,977 28,144 18.6 146,260 113,297 32,963 22.5 151,028 146,195 4,833 3.2
Marlboro County Rate Down 9,836 8,143 1,693 17.2 9,553 7,885 1,668 17.5 9,143 8,763 380 4.2
Union County Rate Down 12,489 10,425 2,064 16.5 12,675 10,355 2,320 18.3 11,649 11,259 390 3.3
Chester County Rate Up 13,981 11,723 2,258 16.2 13,484 11,531 1,953 14.5 13,379 12,862 517 3.9
Cherokee County Rate Down 26,940 22,820 4,120 15.3 26,741 22,334 4,407 16.5 25,139 24,400 739 2.9
Orangeburg County Rate Up 36,850 31,505 5,345 14.5 35,128 30,461 4,667 13.3 34,808 33,376 1,432 4.1
Spartanburg County Rate Down 161,797 138,297 23,500 14.5 161,761 137,456 24,305 15.0 153,077 149,286 3,791 2.5
Laurens County Rate Up 31,916 27,313 4,603 14.4 31,214 26,813 4,401 14.1 30,265 29,392 873 2.9
Abbeville County Rate Up 10,397 8,937 1,460 14.0 10,097 8,703 1,394 13.8 10,063 9,750 313 3.1
Georgetown County Rate Down 26,879 23,213 3,666 13.6 26,097 22,157 3,940 15.1 26,337 25,460 877 3.3
Lancaster County Rate Up 41,881 36,282 5,599 13.4 40,953 35,708 5,245 12.8 41,173 39,866 1,307 3.2
Fairfield County Rate Up 10,107 8,762 1,345 13.3 9,640 8,530 1,110 11.5 9,587 9,195 392 4.1
Bamberg County Rate Up 5,101 4,430 671 13.2 4,804 4,247 557 11.6 5,059 4,800 259 5.1
Charleston County - 215,113 186,865 28,248 13.1 211,096 183,515 27,581 13.1 212,703 207,919 4,784 2.2
Allendale County Rate Up 2,714 2,361 353 13.0 2,577 2,245 332 12.9 2,736 2,604 132 4.8
Williamsburg County Rate Up 12,412 10,819 1,593 12.8 11,908 10,467 1,441 12.1 12,184 11,699 485 4.0
Lee County Rate Up 6,910 6,040 870 12.6 6,657 5,856 801 12.0 6,579 6,347 232 3.5
York County Rate Up 141,445 123,700 17,745 12.5 138,502 121,985 16,517 11.9 139,825 136,106 3,719 2.7
Anderson County Rate Down 94,317 82,584 11,733 12.4 92,951 81,268 11,683 12.6 91,292 88,883 2,409 2.6
Greenville County Rate Up 263,692 231,234 32,458 12.3 259,495 227,709 31,786 12.2 255,031 248,920 6,111 2.4
Marion County Rate Up 13,062 11,490 1,572 12.0 12,522 11,035 1,487 11.9 13,165 12,665 500 3.8
Dorchester County Rate Up 77,984 68,888 9,096 11.7 76,292 67,737 8,555 11.2 78,487 76,563 1,924 2.5
McCormick County Rate Up 3,408 3,010 398 11.7 3,314 2,929 385 11.6 3,403 3,311 92 2.7
Greenwood County Rate Up 31,685 28,072 3,613 11.4 30,720 27,289 3,431 11.2 31,492 30,540 952 3.0
Beaufort County Rate Down 79,317 70,359 8,958 11.3 75,837 66,770 9,067 12.0 78,297 76,246 2,051 2.6
Clarendon County - 13,127 11,640 1,487 11.3 12,671 11,235 1,436 11.3 12,952 12,481 471 3.6
Oconee County Rate Down 36,091 32,014 4,077 11.3 35,317 31,079 4,238 12.0 35,142 34,195 947 2.7
Sumter County Rate Up 45,687 40,591 5,096 11.2 45,137 40,167 4,970 11.0 43,736 42,343 1,393 3.2
Berkeley County Rate Up 103,065 91,614 11,451 11.1 101,035 90,144 10,891 10.8 104,410 101,831 2,579 2.5
Pickens County Rate Up 58,385 51,903 6,482 11.1 57,407 51,094 6,313 11.0 57,511 55,921 1,590 2.8
Barnwell County Rate Up 8,113 7,224 889 11.0 7,814 7,010 804 10.3 8,310 7,975 335 4.0
Darlington County Rate Up 31,333 27,916 3,417 10.9 30,403 27,329 3,074 10.1 30,620 29,624 996 3.3
Calhoun County Rate Up 6,780 6,083 697 10.3 6,454 5,903 551 8.5 6,600 6,386 214 3.2
Chesterfield County Rate Down 22,308 20,001 2,307 10.3 21,754 19,379 2,375 10.9 22,389 21,789 600 2.7
Edgefield County Rate Down 11,121 9,990 1,131 10.2 10,892 9,754 1,138 10.4 10,825 10,529 296 2.7
Richland County Rate Up 204,042 183,266 20,776 10.2 197,151 179,502 17,649 9.0 197,929 192,519 5,410 2.7
Aiken County Rate Up 76,926 69,214 7,712 10.0 75,678 68,149 7,529 9.9 75,187 73,008 2,179 2.9
Kershaw County Rate Up 30,011 27,079 2,932 9.8 29,055 26,376 2,679 9.2 29,229 28,423 806 2.8
Colleton County Rate Up 16,802 15,176 1,626 9.7 16,181 14,717 1,464 9.0 16,933 16,426 507 3.0
Jasper County Rate Up 12,713 11,485 1,228 9.7 12,008 10,862 1,146 9.5 12,822 12,503 319 2.5
Dillon County Rate Up 13,348 12,092 1,256 9.4 12,789 11,630 1,159 9.1 13,058 12,574 484 3.7
Florence County Rate Up 67,633 61,326 6,307 9.3 65,889 60,272 5,617 8.5 67,211 65,322 1,889 2.8
Newberry County Rate Down 19,259 17,602 1,657 8.6 18,542 16,908 1,634 8.8 19,445 18,957 488 2.5
Lexington County Rate Up 151,735 139,349 12,386 8.2 147,193 136,019 11,174 7.6 149,887 146,427 3,460 2.3
Hampton County Rate Up 8,386 7,756 630 7.5 7,942 7,368 574 7.2 8,569 8,350 219 2.6
Saluda County Rate Up 9,139 8,471 668 7.3 8,687 8,073 614 7.1 9,063 8,832 231 2.5
Charleston - North Charleston MSA Rate Up 396,162 347,367 48,795 12.3 388,423 341,396 47,027 12.1 395,600 386,313 9,287 2.3
Columbia MSA Rate Up 411,814 373,010 38,804 9.4 398,180 364,403 33,777 8.5 402,295 391,782 10,513 2.6
Florence MSA Rate Up 98,966 89,242 9,724 9.8 96,292 87,601 8,691 9.0 97,831 94,946 2,885 2.9
Greenville -Anderson- Mauldin MSA - 448,310 393,034 55,276 12.3 441,067 386,884 54,183 12.3 434,099 423,116 10,983 2.5
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED South Carolina Rate Down 2,421,793 2,118,575 303,218 12.5 2,376,830 2,073,470 303,360 12.8 2,371,610 2,297,752 73,858 3.1

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