South Carolina Ties for Second Fastest GDP Growth, 2nd Quarter 2026
By Lainey Stalnaker, Data Analytics Writer
From Q1 2026 to Q2 2026, South Carolina’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annualized rate of 3.5 percent, which tied for second fastest in the nation. GDP is calculated quarterly by the Bureau of Economic Analysis at the national and state levels, comprising personal consumption and investments, government spending and investments, and net exports. GDP is a measure of all final goods and services produced within a given period of time, making it an essential indicator of economic health. The greater the GDP of a country or state, the larger its economy.
The largest contributor to South Carolina’s GDP growth was durable goods manufacturing, which accounted for 1.08 out of 3.5 percentage points. Real estate and rental and leasing; wholesale trade; professional, scientific, and technical services; and finance and insurance rounded out the top five.
Just six sectors recorded declines in GDP: transportation and warehousing; nondurable goods manufacturing, retail trade; mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; management of companies and enterprises; and arts, entertainment, and recreation. The figure below breaks down each sector’s contribution to change in GDP over the quarter.
