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South Carolina Employment Situation October 2020

Fri, 11/20/2020

South Carolina’s Employment Situation

October 2020

 

Household Survey(1)

Employment: The seasonally adjusted, monthly survey of households estimated the number of South Carolinians working increased significantly to 2,286,351.

  • That is a noteworthy increase of 27,830 people over September 2020.
  • That is also a significant decrease of 40,461 people over October 2019

Unemployment: Unemployment estimates declined significantly to 100,333 people.

  • That is a substantial decrease of 24,787 people since September 2020 and a notable increase of 44,089 over October 2019.
  • The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 4.2 percent in October from September’s revised estimate of 5.2 percent.

Nationally, the unemployment rate declined from 7.9 percent in September to 6.9 percent in October.

Labor force: The state’s estimated labor force (people working plus unemployed people looking for work) increased to 2,386,684.

  • That is an increase of 3,043 people over September 2020.
  • That is an increase of 3,628 individuals over October 2019.

 

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Seasonally Adjusted(3))

The Current Employment Survey of businesses in South Carolina marked an increase of 11,700 nonfarm payroll jobs over the month to a level of 2,124,800.

  • Industries reporting gains were Leisure and Hospitality (+6,900); Education and Health Services (+3,300); Financial Services (+1,500); Construction (+1,200); Other Services (+700); Manufacturing (+400); and Government (+200).
  • Decreases were noticed in the Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-2,400); Information and Professional and Business Services (-100) industries respectively.

From October 2019 to October 2020, South Carolina’s economy has lost 77,700 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs

  • Only the Other Services (+4,100); Construction (+2,800); and Financial Activities (+100) industries reported gains over the year
  • Decreases were reported in Leisure and Hospitality (-43,100); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-13,100); Education and Health Services (-12,300); Government (-10,000); Professional and Business Services (-4,400); Information (-1,000); and Manufacturing (-600).

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

Not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payroll employment increased by 20,100 from September 2020 to October 2020 for a total of 2,128,400.

  • Industries reporting growth during this period were Education and Health Services (+4,800); Leisure and Hospitality (+4,800); Professional and Business Services (+4,300); Government (+3,100); Construction (+2,000); Financial Activities (+600); Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+500); Manufacturing (+200); and Mining and Logging (+100).
  • Industries reporting declines were Information (-200) and Other Services (-100).

Since October 2019, not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm jobs were down 75,700 overall in South Carolina.

  • Only the Other Services (+3,400) and Construction (+2,900) industries showed annual gains.
  • Industries recording an over the year loss are Leisure and Hospitality (-43,500); Education and Health Services (-11,900); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-11,800); Government (-10,200); Professional and Business Services (-1,900); Information (-1,100); Financial Activities (-900); Manufacturing (-500); 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 non seasonal 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 October 2020
        Sept. to Oct. 2020 Sept. to Oct. 2020     Oct. 2019 to Oct. 2020 Oct. 2019 to Oct. 2020 
Area October 2020 September 2020 October 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 2,124,800 2,113,100 2,202,500 11,700 0.55% -77,700 -3.53%
Construction 111,300 110,100 108,500 1,200 1.09% 2,800 2.58%
Manufacturing 257,700 257,300 258,300 400 0.16% -600 -0.23%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities0.39% 397,300 399,700 410,400 -2,400 -0.60% -13,100 -3.19%
Information 25,700 25,800 26,700 -100 -0.39% -1,000 -3.75%
Finance Activities 105,400 103,900 105,300 1,500 1.44% 100 0.09%
Professional and Business Services 295,100 295,200 299,500 -100 -0.03% -4,400 -1.47%
Education and Health Services 246,800 243,500 259,100 3,300 1.36% -12,300 -4.75%
Leisure and Hospitality 232,900 226,000 276,000 6,900 3.05% -43,100 -15.62%
Other Services 84,500 83,800 80,400 700 0.84% 4,100 5.10%
Government 363,800 363,600 373,800 200 0.06% -10,000 -2.68%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Industry, Not Seasonally Adjusted

Statewide October 2020
        Sept. to Oct. 2020 Sept. to Oct. 2020    Oct. 2019 to Oct. 2020 Oct. 2019 to Oct. 2020   
Area October 2020 September 2020 October 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Total Nonfarm Employment 2,128,400 2,108,300 2,204,100 20,100 0.95% -75,700 -3.43%
Mining and Logging 4,300 4,200 4,500 100 2.38% -200 -4.44%
Construction 111,800 109,800 108,900 2,000 1.82% 2,900 2.66%
Manufacturing 256,700 256,500 257,200 200 0.08% -500 -0.19%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 397,800 397,300 409,600 500 0.13% -11,800 -2.88%
Information 25,400 25,600 26,500 -200 -0.78% -1,100 -4.15%
Financial Activities 104,700 104,100 105,600 600 0.58% -900 -0.85%
Professional and Business Services 298,400 294,100 300,300 4,300 1.46% -1,900 -0.63%
Education and Health Services 249,200 244,400 261,100 4,800 1.96% -11,900 -4.56%
Leisure and Hospitality 229,400 224,600 272,900 4,800 2.14% -43,500 -15.94%
Other Services 83,500 83,600 80,100 -100 -0.12% 3,400 4.24%
Government 367,200 364,100 377,400 3,100 0.85% -10,200 -2.70%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Area, Seasonally Adjusted

South Carolina & Metropolitan Seasonally Adjusted

October 2020
        Sept. to Oct. 2020 Sept. to Oct. 2020     Oct. 2019 to Oct. 2020 Oct. 2019 to Oct. 2020   
Area October 2020 September 2020 October 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 2,124,800 2,113,100 2,202,500 11,700 0.55% -77,700 -3.53%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 352,500 350,900 375,000 1,600 0.46% -22,500 -6.00%
Columbia MSA 389,800 388,600 405,200 1,200 0.31% -15,400 -3.80%
Florence MSA 88,700 88,800 92,700 -100 -0.11% -4,000 -4.31%
Greenville/Anderson/Mauldin MSA 424,500 425,200 434,700 -700 -0.16% -10,200 -2.35%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 84,000 82,500 85,800 1,500 1.82% -1,800 -2.10%
Myrtle Beach MSA 162,600 158,700 176,500 3,900 2.46% -13,900 -7.88%
Spartanburg MSA 153,300 151,800 163,700 1,500 0.99% -10,400 -6.35%
Sumter MSA 37,900 37,700 40,000 200 0.53% -2,100 -5.25%

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

October 2020
        Sept. to Oct. 2020 Sept. to Oct. 2020    Oct. 2019 to Oct. 2020 Oct. 2019 to Oct. 2020 
Area October 2020 September 2020 October 2019 # Change % Change # Change % Change
Statewide 2,128,400 2,108,300 2,204,100 20,100 0.95% -75,700 -3.43%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA 353,900 351,100 375,800 2,800 0.80% -21,900 -5.83%
Columbia MSA 391,500 387,800 406,900 3,700 0.95% -15,400 -3.78%
Florence MSA 88,500 88,500 92,600 0 0.00% -4,100 -4.43%
Greenville MSA 426,400 423,800 436,700 2,600 0.61% -10,300 -2.36%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA 83,600 81,900 85,300 1,700 2.08% -1,700 -1.99%
Myrtle Beach MSA/Conway/N. Myrtle Beach MSA 159,500 159,300 175,300 200 0.13% -15,800 -9.01%
Spartanburg MSA 154,100 152,000 164,700 2,100 1.38% -10,600 -6.44%
Sumter MSA 38,000 37,500 40,000 500 1.33% -2,000 -5.00%

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 Oct. 2020 Employment Oct. 2020 Unemployment Level Oct. 2020 Unemployment Rate Labor Force Sept. 2020 Employment     Sept. 2020 Unemployment Level Sept. 2020 Unemployment Rate Labor Force Oct. 2019 Employment     Oct. 2019 Unemployment Level     Oct. 2019 Unemployment Rate
Allendale County Rate Down 2,670 2,473 197 7.4 2,612 2,399 213 8.2 2,649 2,521 128 4.8
Marlboro County Rate Down 9,397 8,760 637 6.8 9,395 8,594 801 8.5 9,298 8,923 375 4.0
Bamberg County Rate Down 5,022 4,695 327 6.5 4,955 4,577 378 7.6 4,972 4,695 277 5.6
Orangeburg County Rate Down 35,986 33,646 2,340 6.5 35,867 33,030 2,837 7.9 34,398 32,726 1,672 4.9
Chester County Rate Down 13,533 12,664 869 6.4 13,477 12,373 1,104 8.2 13,566 13,097 469 3.5
Marion County Rate Down 13,097 12,289 808 6.2 13,024 12,096 928 7.1 12,954 12,497 457 3.5
Union County Rate Down 11,771 11,052 719 6.1 11,814 10,883 931 7.9 11,755 11,405 350 3.0
Williamsburg County Rate Down 12,213 11,526 687 5.6 12,153 11,312 841 6.9 11,916 11,445 471 4.0
Lee County Rate Down 6,706 6,338 368 5.5 6,647 6,202 445 6.7 6,668 6,417 251 3.8
Barnwell County Rate Down 8,113 7,678 435 5.4 8,016 7,532 484 6.0 8,227 7,920 307 3.7
Fairfield County Rate Down 9,721 9,193 528 5.4 9,682 9,034 648 6.7 9,629 9,288 341 3.5
Cherokee County Rate Down 25,922 24,582 1,340 5.2 25,914 24,187 1,727 6.7 25,411 24,744 667 2.6
Horry County Rate Down 142,165 134,872 7,293 5.1 142,811 134,018 8,793 6.2 147,647 143,508 4,139 2.8
Georgetown County Rate Down 26,225 24,911 1,314 5.0 26,083 24,507 1,576 6.0 25,744 24,961 783 3.0
Clarendon County Rate Down 12,814 12,214 600 4.7 12,654 11,950 704 5.6 12,700 12,278 422 3.3
Darlington County Rate Down 30,642 29,194 1,448 4.7 30,594 28,870 1,724 5.6 30,503 29,627 876 2.9
Lancaster County Rate Down 41,147 39,224 1,923 4.7 40,735 38,395 2,340 5.7 41,776 40,550 1,226 2.9
McCormick County Rate Down 3,376 3,216 160 4.7 3,364 3,176 188 5.6 3,368 3,278 90 2.7
Sumter County Rate Down 43,701 41,639 2,062 4.7 43,358 40,828 2,530 5.8 43,854 42,605 1,249 2.8
Greenwood County Rate Down 31,801 30,339 1,462 4.6 31,548 29,863 1,685 5.3 31,425 30,596 829 2.6
Colleton County Rate Down 17,032 16,262 770 4.5 16,941 16,037 904 5.3 16,809 16,348 461 2.7
Dillon County Rate Down 13,388 12,785 603 4.5 13,175 12,494 681 5.2 13,031 12,575 456 3.5
Calhoun County Rate Down 6,642 6,355 287 4.3 6,589 6,243 346 5.3 6,629 6,415 214 3.2
Laurens County Rate Down 31,119 29,780 1,339 4.3 31,023 29,450 1,573 5.1 30,467 29,672 795 2.6
Richland County Rate Down 202,566 193,898 8,668 4.3 201,247 190,955 10,292 5.1 200,637 196,081 4,556 2.3
Abbeville County Rate Down 10,101 9,681 420 4.2 10,035 9,559 476 4.7 10,067 9,759 308 3.1
Charleston County Rate Down 210,545 201,702 8,843 4.2 210,604 199,501 11,103 5.3 211,921 207,907 4,014 1.9
Chesterfield County Rate Down 22,277 21,331 946 4.2 22,038 20,944 1,094 5.0 21,990 21,435 555 2.5
Spartanburg County Rate Down 153,242 146,735 6,507 4.2 152,389 144,404 7,985 5.2 154,757 151,469 3,288 2.1
Florence County Rate Down 67,233 64,481 2,752 4.1 67,341 64,043 3,298 4.9 67,067 65,434 1,633 2.4
York County Rate Down 139,850 134,106 5,744 4.1 138,483 131,449 7,034 5.1 141,947 138,675 3,272 2.3
Dorchester County Rate Down 77,501 74,503 2,998 3.9 77,238 73,556 3,682 4.8 78,478 76,878 1,600 2.0
Berkeley County Rate Down 103,099 99,178 3,921 3.8 102,539 97,913 4,626 4.5 104,588 102,365 2,223 2.1
Anderson County Rate Down 93,759 90,377 3,382 3.6 93,386 89,402 3,984 4.3 92,178 90,082 2,096 2.3
Hampton County Rate Down 8,565 8,257 308 3.6 8,376 8,023 353 4.2 8,414 8,229 185 2.2
Kershaw County Rate Down 29,498 28,432 1,066 3.6 29,146 27,945 1,201 4.1 29,469 28,725 744 2.5
Greenville County Rate Down 262,489 253,314 9,175 3.5 261,469 250,641 10,828 4.1 257,803 252,507 5,296 2.1
Jasper County Rate Down 12,922 12,474 448 3.5 12,796 12,266 530 4.1 12,630 12,374 256 2.0
Newberry County Rate Down 19,148 18,525 623 3.3 18,799 18,072 727 3.9 19,124 18,659 465 2.4
Aiken County Rate Down 74,324 71,935 2,389 3.2 73,447 70,824 2,623 3.6 75,147 73,318 1,829 2.4
Beaufort County Rate Down 79,724 77,165 2,559 3.2 78,364 75,443 2,921 3.7 78,395 76,680 1,715 2.2
Edgefield County Rate Down 10,611 10,275 336 3.2 10,470 10,090 380 3.6 10,705 10,453 252 2.4
Pickens County Rate Down 58,681 56,822 1,859 3.2 58,368 56,271 2,097 3.6 57,956 56,627 1,329 2.3
Oconee County Rate Down 35,592 34,504 1,088 3.1 35,182 33,955 1,227 3.5 35,280 34,481 799 2.3
Lexington County Rate Down 151,272 146,740 4,532 3.0 149,544 144,446 5,098 3.4 151,240 148,277 2,963 2.0
Saluda County Rate Down 8,870 8,629 241 2.7 8,645 8,384 261 3.0 8,894 8,692 202 2.3
Charleston - North Charleston MSA Rate Down 391,145 375,383 15,762 4.0 390,381 370,970 19,411 5.0 394,987 387,150 7,837 2.0
Columbia MSA Rate Down 408,569 393,247 15,322 3.8 404,853 387,007 17,846 4.4 406,498 397,478 9,020 2.2
Florence MSA Rate Down 97,875 93,675 4,200 4.3 97,935 92,913 5,022 5.1 97,570 95,061 2,509 2.6
Greenville -Anderson- Mauldin MSA Rate Down 446,048 430,293 15,755 3.5 444,246 425,764 18,482 4.2 438,404 428,888 9,516 2.2
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED South Carolina Rate Down 2,386,684 2,286,351 100,333 4.2 2,383,641 2,258,521 125,120 5.2 2,383,056 2,326,812 56,244 2.4

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