The number of individuals working moved substantially higher, by an estimated 6,826 people, establishing a new record of 2,274,185.

Unemployment estimates increased over the month by 1,803 to 76,309 people. The state’s labor force increased by approximately 8,629 to 2,350,494 people.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 3.2 percent.

Since March of 2018, employment gains moved markedly higher by approximately 41,030 people, and the labor force estimate rose by nearly 32,396 people. The level of unemployed moved lower by roughly 8,634 people.

Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.8 percent.

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Seasonally Adjusted, 1)

In March 2019, seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payrolls decreased by 2,100 over the month to a level of 2,170,000.

The decline was mostly due to downturns in the Professional and Business Services (-3,200); Financial Activities (-700); Leisure and Hospitality (-700); and Construction (-500) industries.
Industries reporting increases were Education and Health Services (+800); Manufacturing (+700); Other Services (+600); Government (+500); and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+200). Information remained constant.

From March 2018 to March 2019, South Carolina’s economy has added 31,000 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs.

Industries marking growth were Manufacturing (+9,200); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+8,200); Education and Health Services (+7,100); Leisure and Hospitality (+6,200); Government (+4,900); and Professional and Business Services (+100).
Decreases were seen in Construction (-4,400); Information (-300); Financial Activities (-100); and Other Services (-100).

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Not Seasonally Adjusted, 2)

Not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payroll employment increased by 12,900 from February 2019 to March 2019 for a total of 2,163,300. This increase is typical as many private businesses increase hiring at the start of spring.

Industries that saw growth were Leisure and Hospitality (+8,600); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+2,900); Government (+1,400); Education and Health Services (+1,300); Manufacturing (+1,200); Other Services (+1,100); and Mining and Logging (+200).
Industries reporting losses were Professional and Business Services (-2,500); Construction (-1,000); and Financial Activities (-300). The Information industry remained flat.
Since March 2018, not seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs were up 32,000 overall in South Carolina.

Industries marking strong annual gains were Manufacturing (+9,300); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+9,200); Education and Health Services (+7,600); Leisure and Hospitality (+6,400); Government (+4,300); Mining and Logging (+200); and Other Services (+100).
Industries reporting declines were Construction (-4,400); Information (-500); and Financial Activities (-200).
Professional and Business Services have remained stagnant over the year.

 

Key for Note items 1 and 2

Note	Explanation
(1)	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.
(2)	Not Seasonally Adjusted: Effects of regular or seasonal patterns have not been removed from these data.

 

Nonfarm Employment by Industry, Seasonally Adjusted

Statewide

March 2019

				Feb. to March 2019	Feb. to March 2019	March 2018 to March 2019	March 2018 to March 2019
Area	March 2019	Feb. 2019	March 2018	# Change	% Change	# Change	% Change
Total Nonfarm Employment	2,170,000	2,172,100	2,139,000	-2,100	-0.10	31,000	1.45
Construction	99,900	100,400	104,300	-500	-0.50	-4,400	-4.22
Manufacturing	255,100	254,400	245,900	700	0.27	9,200	3.74
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities	412,100	411,900	403,900	200	0.05	8,200	2.03
Information	27,800	27,800	28,100	0	0.00	-300	-1.07
Finance Activities	103,900	104,600	104,000	-700	-0.67	-100	-0.10
Professional and Business Services	293,400	296,600	293,300	-3,200	-1.09	100	0.03
Education and Health Services	257,800	257,000	250,700	800	0.31	7,100	2.83
Leisure and Hospitality	266,500	267,200	260,300	-700	-0.26	6,200	2.38
Other Services	76,700	76,100	76,800	600	0.78	-100	-0.13
Government	372,200	371,700	367,300	500	0.13	4,900	1.33

 

Nonfarm Employment by Industry, Not Seasonally Adjusted

Statewide

March 2019

				Feb. to March 2019	Feb. to March 2019	March 2018 to March 2019	March 2018 to March 2019
Area	March 2019	Feb. 2019	March 2018	# Change	% Change	# Change	% Change
Total Nonfarm Employment	2,163,300	2,150,400	2,131,300	12,900	0.60	32,000	1.50
Mining and Logging	4,600	4,400	4,400	200	4.55	200	4.55
Construction	99,500	100,500	103,900	-1,000	-1.00	-4,400	-4.23
Manufacturing	255,300	254,100	246,000	1,200	0.47	9,300	3.78
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities	408,900	406,000	399,700	2,900	0.71	9.200	2.30
Information	27,700	27,700	28,200	0	0.00	-500	-1.77
Financial Activities	103,100	103,400	103,300	-300	-0.29	-200	-0.19
Professional and Business Services	291,100	293,600	291,100	-2,500	-0.85	0	0.00
Education and Health Services	259,100	257,800	251,500	1,300	0.50	7,600	3.02
Leisure and Hospitality	261,400	252,800	255,000	8,600	3.40	6,400	2.51
Other Services	77,100	76,000	77,000	1,100	1.45	100	0.13
Government	375,500	374,100	371,200	1,400	0.37	4,300	1.16

 

Nonfarm Employment by Area, Seasonally Adjusted

South Carolina & Metropolitan Seasonally Adjusted

March 2019

				Feb. to March 2019	Feb. to March 2019	March 2018 to March 2019	March 2018 to March 2019
Area	March 2019	Feb. 2019	March 2018	# Change	% Change	# Change	% Change
Statewide	2,170,000	2,172,100	2,139,000	-2,100	-0.10	31,000	1.45
Charleston/North Charleston MSA	370,200	370,700	363,300	-500	-0.14	6,900	1.90
Columbia MSA	403,300	403,000	400,300	300	0.07	3,000	0.75
Florence MSA	92,000	92,200	91,000	-200	-0.22	1,000	1.10
Greenville/Anderson/Mauldin MSA	430,200	432,800	425,200	-2,600	-0.60	5,000	1.18
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA	84,100	83,800	81,200	300	0.36	2,900	3.57
Myrtle Beach MSA	178,500	178,000	170,800	500	0.28	7,700	4.51
Spartanburg MSA	161,000	160,600	158,100	400	0.25	2,900	1.83
Sumter MSA	40,800	40,800	40,100	0	0.00	700	1.75

Current month's estimates are preliminary. All data are subject to revision. 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 2019

				Feb. to March 2019	Feb. to March 2019	March 2018 to March 2019	March 2018 to March 2019
Area	March 2019	Feb. 2019	March 2018	# Change	% Change	# Change	% Change
Statewide	2,163,300	2,150,400	2,131,300	12,900	0.60	32,000	1.50
Charleston/North Charleston MSA	369,100	367,000	362,400	2,100	0.57	6,700	1.85
Columbia MSA	403,000	400,900	398,900	2,100	0.52	4,100	1.03
Florence MSA	92,400	91,900	91,300	500	0.54	1,100	1.20
Greenville MSA	429,500	429,800	424,400	-300	-0.07	5,100	1.20
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA	83,000	81,400	80,400	1,600	1.97	2,600	3.23
Myrtle Beach MSA/Conway/N. Myrtle Beach MSA	174,800	168,600	167,300	6,200	3.68	7,500	4.48
Spartanburg MSA	161,200	160,200	158,000	1,000	0.62	3,200	2.03
Sumter MSA	40,800	40,800	40,100	0	0.00	700	1.75

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	March 2019 Employment	March 2019 Unemployment Level	March 2019 Unemployment Rate	Labor Force	Feb. 2019 Employment	Feb. 2019 Unemployment Level	Feb. 2019 Unemployment Rate	Labor Force	March 2018 Employment	March 2018 Unemployment Level	March 2018 Unemployment Rate
Allendale County	Rate Up	2,741	2,982	159	5.8	2,791	2,639	152	5.4	2,709	2,546	163	6.0
Bamberg County	Rate Up	4,920	4,636	284	5.8	4,982	4,707	275	5.5	4,963	4,663	300	6.0
Marion County	Rate Down	13,121	12,435	686	5.2	13,098	12,403	695	5.3	12,708	12,012	696	5.5
Orangeburg County	Rate Up	4,576	32,802	1,774	5.1	34,708	32,990	1,718	4.9	34,295	32,459	1,836	5.4
Williamsburg County	Rate Up	12,435	11,807	628	5.1	12,489	11,875	614	4.9	12,100	11,428	672	5.6
Fairfield County	Rate Down	9,789	9,301	488	5.0	9,776	9,278	498	5.1	9,819	9,147	672	6.8
Barnwell County	Rate Up	8,467	8,054	413	4.9	8,484	8,094	390	4.6	8,302	7,907	395	4.8
Marlboro County	Rate Down	9,252	8,798	454	4.9	9,662	8,822	840	8.7	9,076	8,610	466	5.1
Dillon County	Rate Down	12,784	12,184	600	4.7	13,067	12,349	718	5.5	12,530	11,955	575	4.6
Chester County	Rate Up	13,580	12,957	623	4.6	13,416	12,824	592	4.4	13,209	12,573	636	4.8
Georgetown County	Same	26,177	24,934	1,193	4.6	26,129	24,925	1,204	4.6	24,689	23,507	1,182	4.8
Clarendon County	Rate Up	12,658	12,101	557	4.4	12,806	12,259	547	4.3	12,303	11,719	584	4.7
Horry County	Rate Down	149,037	142,633	6,404	4.3	144,468	137,696	6,772	4.7	142,214	136,004	6,210	4.4
Lee County	Rate Up	6,647	6,376	271	4.1	6,680	6,420	260	3.9	6,522	6,209	313	4.8
Calhoun County	Rate Up	6,721	6,453	268	4.0	6,721	6,462	259	3.9	6,604	6,348	256	3.9
Lancaster County	Rate Up	40,564	38,958	1,606	4.0	40,074	38,541	1,533	3.8	39,302	37,810	1,492	3.8
Union County	Rate Up	11,287	11,415	472	4.0	11,777	11,319	458	3.9	11,605	11,120	485	4.2
Abbeville County	Rate Up	10,204	9,818	386	3.8	10,175	9,806	369	3.6	9,997	9,607	390	3.9
Darlington County	Rate Down	30,577	29,410	1,167	3.8	30,582	29,387	1,195	3.9	30,030	28,839	1,191	4.0
Sumter County	Rate Up	44,985	43,272	1,713	3.8	44,793	43,174	1,619	3.6	44,009	42,185	1,824	4.1
Colleton County	Rate Up	16,963	16,333	630	3.7	17,004	16,397	607	3.6	16,553	15,857	696	4.2
McCormick County	Rate Up	3,482	3,353	129	3.7	3,482	3,359	123	3.5	3,367	3,250	117	3.5
Greenwood County	Rate Up	31,407	30,275	1,132	3.6	31,360	30,285	1,075	3.4	30,740	29,615	1,125	3.7
Florence County	Rate Up	67,317	64,987	2,330	3.5	66,946	64,659	2,287	3.4	66,116	63,728	2,388	3.6
Aiken County	Rate Up	7,508	73,004	2,604	3.4	75,539	73,130	2,409	3.2	73,918	71,436	2,482	3.4
Cherokee County	Rate Up	25,750	24,862	888	3.4	25,568	24,742	826	3.2	25,124	24,237	887	3.5
Chesterfield County	Same	22,237	21,488	749	3.4	22,354	21,595	759	3.4	21,795	21,092	703	3.2
Laurens County	Rate Up	30,421	29,373	1,048	3.4	30,407	29,393	1,014	3.3	29,917	28,833	1,084	3.6
Edgefield County	Rate Up	10,687	10,338	349	3.3	10,789	10,457	332	3.1	10,517	10,129	388	3.7
Kershaw County	Rate Up	29,243	28,270	973	3.3	29,121	28,180	941	3.2	28,809	27,800	1,009	3.5
Richland County	Rate Up	199,258	193,342	6,516	3.3	197,602	191,403	6,199	3.1	196,778	190,013	6,765	3.4
Saluda County	Rate Up	8,819	8,528	291	3.3	9,002	8,734	268	3.0	8,679	8,402	277	3.2
Anderson County	Rate Up	91,442	88,546	2,896	3.2	91,104	88,353	2,751	3.0	89,799	86,888	2,911	3.2
Hampton County	Rate Up	8,235	7,970	265	3.2	8,314	8,058	256	3.1	8,136	7,841	295	3.6
Pickens County	Rate Up	57,410	55,572	1,838	3.2	57,157	55,436	1,721	3.0	56,426	54,537	1,889	3.3
York County	Rate Up	138,064	133,615	4,469	3.2	136,116	131,890	4,226	3.1	134,089	129,654	4,435	3.3
Beaufort County	Same	76,982	74,562	2,420	3.1	75,770	73,442	2,328	3.1	74,394	71,936	2,458	3.3
Oconee County	Same	35,587	34,469	1,118	3.1	35,673	34,583	1,090	3.1	34,129	32,957	1,172	3.4
Berkeley County	Rate Up	103,128	100,006	3,122	3.0	101,956	98,993	2,963	2.9	100,667	97,585	3,082	3.1
Dorchester County	Rate Up	76,528	74,230	2,296	3.0	75,720	73,538	2,182	2.9	74,715	72,444	2,271	3.0
Jasper County	Same	12,436	12,060	376	3.0	12,347	11,982	365	3.0	12,045	11,670	375	3.1
Newberry County	Rate Up	18,714	18,147	567	3.0	18,937	18,387	550	2.9	18,484	17,900	584	3.2
Greenville County	Rate Up	254,160	246,779	7,381	2.9	253,111	246,046	7,065	2.8	249,453	242,142	7,311	2.9
Spartanburg County	Rate Up	151,494	147,386	4,448	2.9	150,262	146,014	4,248	2.8	148,118	143,530	4,588	3.1
Charleston County	Rate Up	210,292	204,462	5,830	2.8	208,460	202,925	5,535	2.7	205,395	199,653	5,742	2.8
Lexington County	Rate Up	149,335	145,175	4,160	2.8	148,289	144,354	3,935	2.7	147,023	142,742	4,281	2.9
Charleston - North Charleston MSA	Rate Up	329,946	378,698	11,248	2.9	386,136	375,456	10,680	2.8	380,777	369,682	11,095	2.9
Columbia MSA	Rate Up	403,765	391,069	12,696	3.1	400,511	388,411	12,100	3.0	397,712	384,452	13,260	3.3
Florence MSA	Same	97,894	94,397	3,497	3.6	97,528	94,046	3,482	3.6	96,146	92,567	3,579	3.7
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin MSA	Rate Up	433,433	420,270	13,163	3.0	431,779	419,228	12,551	2.9	425,595	412,400	13,195	3.1
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED South Carolina	Same	2,350,494	2,274,185	76,309	3.2	2,341,865	2,267,359	74,506	3.2	2,318,098	2,233,155	84,943	3.7