The number of individuals working increased noticeably, by an estimated 6,951 people, marking a new record of 2,267,211.

Unemployment estimates showed little change over the month, decreasing by 340 to 74,497 people. The state’s labor force increased by approximately 6,611 to 2,341,708 people, as almost all entrants to the labor force found employment.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged for the eighth consecutive month at 3.2 percent.

Since February of 2018, employment gains moved markedly higher by approximately 38,018 people, and the labor force estimate rose by nearly 24,500 people. The level of unemployed moved significantly lower by roughly 13,525 people.

Nationally, the unemployment rate decreased to 3.8 percent from January’s estimate of 4.0 percent.

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Seasonally Adjusted, 1)

In February 2019, seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payrolls decreased by 400 over the month to a level of 2,171,900.

The decline was mostly due to downturns in the Leisure and Hospitality (-2,300); Trade Transportation, and Utilities (-1,700); Professional and Business Services (-800); Information(-100) and Financial Activities (-100) industries.
Industries reporting increases were Manufacturing (+1,400); Education and Health Services (+1,400); Construction (+700); Government (+700); and Other Services (+500).
From February 2018 to February 2019, South Carolina’s economy has added 31,100 seasonally adjusted, nonfarm jobs.

Industries marking growth were Manufacturing (+8,700); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+8,200); Education and Health Services (+6,700); Leisure and Hospitality (+4,600); Government (+4,200); Professional and Business Services (+3,200); and Financial Activities (+700).
Decreases were seen in Construction (-3,800); Other Services (-1,300); and Information (-100).

Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Not Seasonally Adjusted, 2)

Not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payroll employment increased by 14,200 from January 2019 to February 2019 for a total of 2,148,700. This increase is a typical trend for the January-to-February time period due to returns from layoffs and school closings between terms.

Industries that saw growth were Education and Health Services (+4,400); Government (+4,300); Professional and Business Services (+2,300); Manufacturing (+1,700); Leisure and Hospitality (+1,700); Other Services (+1,700); Construction (+1,500); and Information (+100).
Industries reporting losses were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-2,800); Financial Activities (-600); and Mining and Logging (-100).
Since February 2018, not seasonally adjusted, nonfarm jobs were up 28,900 in South Carolina.

Industries marking strong annual gains were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+8,400); Manufacturing (+8,200); Education and Health Services (+7,100); Government (+4,100); Professional and Business Services (+2,600); Leisure and Hospitality (+1,900); and Financial Activities (+300).
Industries reporting declines were Construction (-2,700); other Services (-700); and Information (-300).
Mining and Logging 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

February 2019

				Jan. to Feb. 2019	Jan. to Feb. 2019	Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019	Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019
Area	February 2019	January 2019	February 2018	# Change	% Change	# Change	% Change
Total Nonfarm Employment	2,171,900	2,172,300	2,140,800	-400	-0.02%	31,100	1.45%
Construction	100,600	99,900	104,400	700	0.70%	-3,800	-3.64%
Manufacturing	254,300	252,900	245,600	1,400	0.55%	8,700	3.54%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities	412,400	414,100	404,200	-1,700	-0.41%	8,200	2.03%
Information	27,900	28,000	28,000	-100	-0.36%	-100	-0.36%
Finance Activities	104,700	104,800	104,000	-100	-0.10%	700	0.67%
Professional and Business Services	295,800	296,600	292,600	-800	-0.27%	3,200	1.09%
Education and Health Services	256,900	255,500	250,200	1,400	0.54%	6,700	2.68%
Leisure and Hospitality	267,200	269,500	262,600	-2,300	-0.86%	4,600	1.75%
Other Services	75,900	75,400	77,200	500	0.66%	-1,300	-1.68%
Government	371,800	371,100	367,600	700	0.19%	4,200	1.14%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Industry, Not Seasonally Adjusted

Statewide

February 2019

				Jan. to Feb. 2019	Jan. to Feb. 2019	Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019	Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019
Area	February 2019	January 2019	February 2018	# Change	% Change	# Change	% Change
Total Nonfarm Employment	2,148,700	2,134,500	2,119,800	14,200	0.67%	28,900	1.36%
Mining and Logging	4,400	4,500	4,400	-100	-2.22%	0	0.00%
Construction	100,600	99,100	103,300	1,500	1.51%	-2,700	-2.61%
Manufacturing	254,000	252,300	245,800	1,700	0.67%	8,200	3.34%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities	406,400	409,200	398,000	-2,800	-0.68%	8,400	2.11%
Information	27,800	27,700	28,100	100	0.36%	-300	-1.07%
Financial Activities	103,000	103,900	103,000	-600	-0.58%	300	0.29%
Professional and Business Services	291,900	289,600	289,300	2,300	0.79%	2,600	0.90%
Education and Health Services	257,900	253,500	250,800	4,400	1.74%	7,100	2.83%
Leisure and Hospitality	252,100	250,400	250,200	1,700	0.68%	1,900	0.76%
Other Services	76,000	74,300	76,700	1,700	2.29%	-700	-0.91
Government	374,300	370,00	370,200	4,300	1.16%	4,100	1.11%

 

Nonfarm Employment by Area, Seasonally Adjusted

South Carolina & Metropolitan Seasonally Adjusted

February 2019

				Jan. to Feb. 2019	Jan. to Feb. 2019	Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019	Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019
Area	February 2019	January 2019	February 2018	# Change	% Change	# Change	% Change
Statewide	2,171,900	2,172,300	2,140,800	-400	-0.02%	31,100	1.45%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA	371,100	370,700	363,800	400	0.11%	7,300	2.01%
Columbia MSA	403,100	403,700	399,800	-600	-0.15%	3,300	0.83%
Florence MSA	92,300	92,600	91,200	-300	-0.33%	1,100	1.21%
Greenville/Anderson/Mauldin MSA	430,600	429,900	424,200	700	0.16%	6,400	1.51%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA	83,900	84,000	81,300	-100	-0.12%	2,600	3.20%
Myrtle Beach MSA	177,600	177,000	171,700	600	0.34%	5,900	3.44%
Spartanburg MSA	160,300	160,300	157,400	0	0.00%	2,900	1.84%
Sumter MSA	40,800	40,900	40,000	-100	-0.25%	800	2.00%

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.

Nonfarm Employment by Area, Not Seasonally Adjusted

South Carolina & Metropolitan Not Seasonally Adjusted

February 2019

				Jan. to Feb. 2019	Jan. to Feb. 2019	Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019	Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019
Area	February 2019	January 2019	February 2018	# Change	% Change	# Change	% Change
Statewide	2,148,700	2,134,500	2,119,800	14,200	0.67%	28,900	1.36%
Charleston/North Charleston MSA	367,300	365,000	361,200	2,300	0.63%	6,100	1.69%
Columbia MSA	401,000	398,500	397,700	2,500	0.63%	3,300	0.83%
Florence MSA	91,900	91,600	90,700	300	0.33%	1,200	1.32%
Greenville MSA	427,500	425,400	422,500	2,100	0.49%	5,000	1.18%
Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort MSA	81,400	81,200	79,500	200	0.25%	1,900	2.39%
Myrtle Beach MSA/Conway/N. Myrtle Beach MSA	168,500	165,900	163,700	2,600	1.57%	4,800	2.93%
Spartanburg MSA	160,100	158,800	157,300	1,300	0.82%	2,800	1.78%
Sumter MSA	40,800	40,800	40,000	0	0.00%	800	2.00%

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	Feb. 2019 Employment	Feb. 2019 Unemployment Level	Feb. 2019 Unemployment Rate	Labor Force	Jan. 2019 Employment	Jan. 2019 Unemployment Level	Jan. 2019 Unemployment Rate	Labor Force	Feb. 2018 Employment	Feb. 2018 Unemployment Level	Feb. 2018 Unemployment Rate
Marlboro County	Rate Up	9,700	8,870	830	8.6	9,255	8,779	476	5.1	9,470	8,859	611	6.5
Bamberg County	Rate Down	5,007	4,732	275	5.5	5,036	4,701	335	6.7	5,275	4,892	383	7.3
Dillon County	Rate Up	13,117	12,400	717	5.5	12,986	12,329	657	5.1	12,917	12,120	797	6.2
Allendale County	Rate Down	2,805	2,653	152	5.4	2,816	2,643	173	6.1	2,842	2,617	225	7.9
Marion County	Rate Down	13,129	12,435	694	5.3	13,061	12,305	756	5.8	12,673	11,694	979	7.7
Fairfield County	Rate Down	9,780	9,252	498	5.1	9,706	9,189	577	5.9	10,235	9,268	967	9.4
Orangeburg County	Rate Down	34,859	33,141	1,718	4.9	34,840	32,812	2,028	5.8	35,614	33,131	2,483	7.0
Williamsburg County	Rate Down	12,540	11,925	615	4.9	12,550	11,824	726	5.8	12,758	11,877	881	6.9
Horry County	Rate Down	144,441	137,671	6,770	4.7	142,472	134,735	7,737	5.4	140,401	131,594	8,807	6.3
Barnwell County	Rate Down	8,517	8,127	390	4.6	8,450	8,043	407	4.8	8,278	7,747	531	6.4
Georgetown County	Rate Down	26,227	25,022	1,205	4.6	26,086	24,729	1,357	5.2	26,106	24,454	1,652	6.3
Chester County	Rate Down	13,420	12,827	593	4.4	13,390	12,732	658	4.9	13,675	12,842	833	6.1
Clarendon County	Rate Down	12,852	12,304	548	4.3	12,840	12,222	618	4.8	12,697	11,904	793	6.2
Calhoun County	Rate Down	6,724	6,465	259	3.9	6,704	6,405	299	4.5	6,813	6,476	337	4.9
Darlington County	Rate Down	30,538	29,345	1,193	3..9	30,466	29,195	1,271	4.2	29,943	28,335	1,608	5.4
Lee County	Rate Down	6,693	6,433	260	3.9	6,712	6,391	321	4.8	6,492	6,078	414	6.4
Union County	Rate Down	11,764	11,305	459	3.9	11,636	11,152	484	4.2	11,936	11,263	673	5.6
Lancaster County	Rate Down	40,081	38,552	1,529	3.8	39,867	38,236	1,631	4.1	39,522	37,521	2,001	5.1
Abbeville County	Rate Down	10,212	9,844	368	3.6	10,161	9,717	444	4.4	10,254	9,747	507	4.9
Colleton County	Rate Down	17,067	16,459	608	3.6	16,940	16,272	668	3.9	17,313	16,370	943	5.4
Sumter County	Rate Down	44,744	43,124	1,620	3.6	44,594	42,818	1,776	4.0	44,1950	41,777	2,418	5.5
McCormick County	Rate Down	3,495	3,372	123	3.5	3,477	3,329	148	4.3	3,460	3,288	172	5.0
Chesterfield County	Rate Down	22,423	21,669	754	3.4	22,282	21,483	799	3.6	21,936	20,988	948	4.3
Florence County	Rate Down	66,851	64,566	2,285	3.4	66,648	64,095	2,553	3.8	65,765	62,579	3,186	4.8
Greenwood County	Rate Down	31,479	30,404	1,075	3.4	31,259	30,056	1,203	3.8	31,294	29,795	1,499	4.8
Laurens County	Rate Down	30,272	29,257	1,015	3.4	30,012	28,950	1,062	3.5	30,481	29,014	1,467	4.8
Aiken County	Rate Down	75,564	73,157	2,407	3.2	74,714	72,210	2,504	3.4	75,985	72,693	3,292	4.3
Cherokee County	Rate Down	25,662	24,835	827	3.2	25,438	24,519	919	3.6	24,589	23,407	1,182	4.8
Kershaw County	Rate Down	29,138	28,197	941	3.2	28,961	27,911	1,050	3.6	29,040	27,697	1,343	4.6
Beaufort County	Rate Down	75,748	73,424	2,324	3.1	75,226	72,751	2,475	3.3	73,485	70,225	3,260	4.4
Edgefield County	Rate Down	10,794	10,461	333	3.1	10,711	10,353	358	3.3	10,774	10,278	496	4.6
Hampton County	Rate Down	8,339	8,084	255	3.1	8,344	8,045	299	3.6	8,348	7,953	395	4.7
Oconee County	Rate Down	35,770	34,679	1,091	3.1	35,500	34,319	1,181	3.3	35,042	33,450	1,592	4.5
Richland County	Rate Down	197,721	191,517	6,204	3.1	196,442	189,218	7,224	3.7	199,215	190,332	8,883	4.5
York County	Rate Down	136,126	131,929	4,197	3.1	135,373	130,743	4,630	3.4	134,599	128,810	5,789	4.3
Anderson County	Rate Down	90,688	87,936	2,752	3.0	90,003	86,962	3,041	3.4	90,245	86,400	3,845	4.3
Pickens County	Rate Down	56,900	55,177	1,723	3.0	56,489	54,540	1,949	3.5	57,056	54,561	2,495	4.4
Saluda County	Rate Down	9,007	8,739	268	3.0	9,005	8,723	282	3.1	8,878	8,521	357	4.0
Berkeley County	Rate Down	101,997	99,034	2,963	2.9	101,066	97,809	3,257	3.2	98,312	94,281	4,031	4.1
Dorchester County	Rate Down	75,749	73,568	2,181	2.9	75,095	72,668	2,427	3.2	74,089	71,126	2,963	4.0
Jasper County	Rate Down	12,345	11,981	364	2.9	12,252	11,862	390	3.2	12,203	11,703	500	4.1
Newberry County	Rate Down	19,006	18,457	549	2.9	18,951	18,340	611	3.2	18,740	17,933	807	4.3
Greenville County	Rate Down	251,954	244,883	7,071	2.8	249,738	242,113	7,625	3.1	249,175	239,463	9,712	3.9
Spartanburg County	Rate Down	150,077	148,828	4,249	2.8	148,585	143,862	4,723	3.2	148,082	142,045	6,037	4.1
Charleston County	Rate Down	208,537	203,008	5,529	2.7	206,447	200,460	5,987	2.9	204,882	197,281	7,601	3.7
Lexington County	Rate Down	148,376	144,439	3,937	2.7	147,447	142,837	4,280	2.9	147,577	141,885	5,692	3.9
Charleston - North Charleston MSA	Rate Down	386,283	375,610	10,673	2.8	382,608	370,937	11,671	3.1	377,283	362,688	14,595	3.9
Columbia MSA	Rate Down	400,746	388,639	12,107	3.0	397,995	384,283	13712	3.4	401,758	384,179	17,579	4.4
Florence MSA	Rate Down	97,389	93,911	3,478	3.6	97,114	93,290	3,824	3.9	95,708	90,914	4,794	5.0
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin MSA	Rate Down	429,814	417,253	12,561	2.9	426,242	412,565	13,677	3.2	426,957	409,438	17,519	4.1
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED South Carolina	Rate Down	2,341,708	2,267,211	74,479	3.2	2,335,097	2,260,260	74,837	3.2	2,317,215	2,229,193	88,022	3.8

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