Counties with the highest unemployment rate in South Carolina

Written by:
November 15, 2022
Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

Counties with the highest unemployment rate in South Carolina

Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.

As of October of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.2% higher than in September. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2.0% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in Illinois and 4.7% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.

To that end, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in South Carolina using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.

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#46. Charleston County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 217,108 (5,464 unemployed)
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Ffuhr // Wikimedia Commons

#45. Hampton County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 7,929 (198 unemployed)
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Ralph Hightower // Wikimedia Commons

#44. Lexington County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: 0.0%
- Total labor force: 149,435 (3,708 unemployed)
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NatalieMaynor // Wikimedia Commons

#43. Newberry County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.1%
- Total labor force: 19,028 (478 unemployed)
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#42. Greenville County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.2%
- Total labor force: 259,168 (6,739 unemployed)

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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#41. Jasper County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: +0.1%
- Total labor force: 13,172 (353 unemployed)
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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#40. Saluda County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: +0.3%
- Total labor force: 8,335 (226 unemployed)
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Anderson County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.1%
- Total labor force: 91,184 (2,545 unemployed)
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#38. Beaufort County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: 0.0%
- Total labor force: 76,117 (2,158 unemployed)
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Lazyksaw // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Dorchester County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.1%
- Total labor force: 80,212 (2,210 unemployed)

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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#36. Oconee County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.1%
- Total labor force: 33,985 (958 unemployed)
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KudzuVine // Wikimedia Commons

#35. Pickens County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: 0.0%
- Total labor force: 57,763 (1,617 unemployed)
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#34. Spartanburg County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 157,044 (4,451 unemployed)
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Festiva76 // Wikimedia Commons

#33. Aiken County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: +0.2%
- Total labor force: 73,249 (2,125 unemployed)
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Itsbrandoyo // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Berkeley County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: 0.0%
- Total labor force: 110,613 (3,225 unemployed)

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Connor401 // Wikimedia Commons

#31. York County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 149,323 (4,375 unemployed)
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Robert Thomas Mckenzie Jr // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Florence County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 64,313 (2,014 unemployed)
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Pollinator // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Kershaw County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: 0.0%
- Total labor force: 29,036 (904 unemployed)
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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Laurens County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 29,999 (935 unemployed)
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#27. Richland County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 194,700 (6,006 unemployed)

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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Colleton County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.2%
- Total labor force: 15,820 (510 unemployed)
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Edgefield County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.3%
--- 1 month change: +0.3%
--- 1 year change: +0.7%
- Total labor force: 10,311 (337 unemployed)
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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Calhoun County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 6,352 (219 unemployed)
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Chesterfield County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 21,249 (730 unemployed)
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Jud McCranie // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Darlington County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 28,956 (974 unemployed)

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#21. Georgetown County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 25,892 (868 unemployed)
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Calatayudboy // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Lancaster County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 43,924 (1,483 unemployed)
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Pollinator // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Horry County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 150,911 (5,273 unemployed)
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Brian Scott // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Abbeville County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 9,372 (342 unemployed)
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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Greenwood County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 29,436 (1,046 unemployed)

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Farrargirl // Wikimedia Commons

#16. McCormick County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 3,301 (120 unemployed)
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Pollinator // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Sumter County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.2%
- Total labor force: 40,860 (1,502 unemployed)
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Morder // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Cherokee County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 24,368 (935 unemployed)
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Clarendon County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 12,229 (467 unemployed)
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#12. Chester County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 13,457 (561 unemployed)

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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Dillon County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 12,666 (547 unemployed)
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Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Lee County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 6,315 (286 unemployed)
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Pollinator // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Williamsburg County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 10,685 (494 unemployed)
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Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Barnwell County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 7,439 (346 unemployed)
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Fairfield County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 9,130 (426 unemployed)

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ProfReader // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Marion County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 12,729 (628 unemployed)
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#5. Union County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 11,468 (562 unemployed)
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Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Orangeburg County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 32,385 (1,736 unemployed)
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Allendale County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 2,305 (132 unemployed)
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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Bamberg County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 4,383 (249 unemployed)

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Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Marlboro County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 8,437 (537 unemployed)

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