January 2025

Released March 17, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In January, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 9, rose in 19, and remained unchanged in 23.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.

• In January, payroll jobs rose in 31 states and fell in 19. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in South Dakota. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in Georgia.

South Carolina Employment Snapshot

• In January, South Carolina added 4,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent. In the prior month, South Carolina added 7,300 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, South Carolina added 56,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.9 percentage points from 3.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 125,000 in January, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina ranks 3rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In January, South Carolina’s private sector added 1,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 45,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, South Carolina added 6,400 net private payroll jobs.

• In January, employment in South Carolina rose by 2,668, and over the past 12 months it rose by 19,332.

• South Carolina’s labor force participation rate fell to 57.6 percent in January from 57.7 percent and is tied for 48th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.2 percentage points.

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South Carolina Payroll Employment

• South Carolina added 4,500 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, South Carolina added 7,300 jobs. South Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 125,000 in January, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina ranks 3rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• South Carolina added 1,600 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, South Carolina added 6,400 jobs. South Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 81,000 jobs in January, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina ranks 3rd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during January were Government (2,900) and Construction (1,800).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Professional and Business Services (-900) and Financial Activities (-2,100).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (13,700) and Government (11,300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Manufacturing (400) and Mining and Logging (200).

South Carolina Labor Force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in South Carolina fell to 57.6 percent in January from 57.7 percent in the prior month.

• South Carolina is tied for 48th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in South Carolina was 59.5 percent occurring in March 2015, and the 10-year low was 57.3 percent occurring in October 2022.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in January.