United States Employment Snapshot
In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 21.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in North Dakota and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.
In May, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Idaho. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Minnesota.
South Carolina Employment Snapshot
In May, South Carolina added 3,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 3.4 percent. In the prior month, South Carolina added 10,200 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, South Carolina added 80,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 2.9 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. South Carolina is tied for 1st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In May, South Carolina’s private sector added 2,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 70,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, South Carolina added 9,400 net private payroll jobs.
In May, employment in South Carolina rose by 1,985, and over the past 12 months it rose by 28,382.
South Carolina’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 57.2 percent in May and is tied for 47th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.2 percentage points.
South Carolina Payroll Employment
South Carolina added 3,300 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, South Carolina added 10,200 jobs. South Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in each of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. South Carolina is tied for 1st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
South Carolina added 2,400 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, South Carolina added 9,400 jobs. South Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in each of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 229,000 jobs in May, or 0.2 percent. South Carolina ranks 2nd 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 May were Manufacturing (1,100) and Construction (1,000).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-700) and Leisure and Hospitality (-1,400).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (16,700) and Leisure and Hospitality (14,400).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Mining and Logging (200) and Information (100).
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 remained unchanged at 57.2 percent in May.
South Carolina is tied for 47th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in South Carolina was 59.5 percent occurring in May 2015, and the 10-year low was 57 percent occurring in November 2022.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.5 percent in May.