S.C. unemployment falls to 3.9% in October

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South Carolina’s unemployment rate fell to 3.9% in October from 4.1% in September, with the trade, transportation and utilities industry adding almost 20,000 jobs.  

The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce’s seasonally adjusted monthly survey of households estimated the number of South Carolinians working increased to 2,313,476 people, an increase of 4,156 over the September 2021 estimate and an increase of 7,218 people over October 2020.  

Unemployment estimates decreased to 94,322 people, down 4,738 from September and a decrease of 36,535 from October 2020. The state’s estimated labor force, or people working plus unemployed people looking for work, decreased to 2,407,798, a drop of 582 from September and 29,317 from September 2020.  

The national unemployment rate fell to 4.6% in October from 4.8% in September.  

Other S.C. industries adding jobs were leisure and hospitality (17,600) and manufacturing (7,400), according to DEW, while the financial activities industry lost 1,400 jobs. From October 2020 to October 2021, the state’s economy has added 65,500 seasonally adjusted, nonfarm jobs. 

The Columbia metropolitan statistical area gained 2,100 jobs from September to October and has added 8,600 since October 2020. Charleston/North Charleston added 1,400 jobs month-to-month and has gained 14,000 year-to-year, while Greenville/Anderson Mauldin added 2,100 from September to October and 12,500 from October 2020. Spartanburg gained 400 jobs month-to-month and 5,600 year-to-year.  

Unemployment dropped in every S.C. county except three from September to October, rising from 2.3% to 2.4% in Saluda County and remaining unchanged in Saluda (2.5%) and Berkeley (2.9%) counties.  

In Lexington County, unemployment fell from 2.5% to 2.3%, lowest in the state. In Richland County, unemployment dropped from 3.4% to 3.1%. 

In October 2020, unemployment stood at 3.7% in Lexington County and 5.3% in Richland County.