Data / Rankings / Covered employment (QCEW) / Counties in South Carolina

Counties in South Carolina by covered employment (QCEW)

Greenville County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 46 counties in 2015, at 256,799 jobs. McCormick County had the lowest, at 1,687 jobs. The median was 18,455 jobs and the figure for South Carolina was 1,949,881 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest256,799Greenville County
Lowest1,687McCormick County
Median18,45546 counties
South Carolina1,949,881History

Map of counties, 2015

Abbeville County: 5,442 jobsAiken County: 57,829 jobsAllendale County: 2,689 jobsAnderson County: 63,175 jobsBamberg County: 3,949 jobsBarnwell County: 5,263 jobsBeaufort County: 62,352 jobsBerkeley County: 45,871 jobsCalhoun County: 4,496 jobsCharleston County: 235,308 jobsCherokee County: 18,853 jobsChester County: 8,319 jobsChesterfield County: 14,409 jobsClarendon County: 6,992 jobsColleton County: 10,626 jobsDarlington County: 19,808 jobsDillon County: 8,473 jobsDorchester County: 31,969 jobsEdgefield County: 5,886 jobsFairfield County: 10,329 jobsFlorence County: 61,398 jobsGeorgetown County: 22,994 jobsGreenville County: 256,799 jobsGreenwood County: 28,634 jobsHampton County: 4,548 jobsHorry County: 118,291 jobsJasper County: 8,099 jobsKershaw County: 18,056 jobsLancaster County: 21,570 jobsLaurens County: 21,583 jobsLee County: 3,371 jobsLexington County: 113,091 jobsMcCormick County: 1,687 jobsMarion County: 6,520 jobsMarlboro County: 6,739 jobsNewberry County: 14,123 jobsOconee County: 23,397 jobsOrangeburg County: 28,931 jobsPickens County: 33,857 jobsRichland County: 213,268 jobsSaluda County: 4,554 jobsSpartanburg County: 127,009 jobsSumter County: 36,706 jobsUnion County: 7,403 jobsWilliamsburg County: 9,490 jobsYork County: 84,859 jobs
  • Under 5,000
  • 5,000 to 8,000
  • 8,000 to 18K
  • 18K to 29K
  • 29K to 63K
  • 63K and over
jobs, 2015. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2015

Greenville County: 256,799 jobsGreenville County256,799Charleston County: 235,308 jobsCharleston County235,308Richland County: 213,268 jobsRichland County213,268Spartanburg County: 127,009 jobsSpartanburg County127,009Horry County: 118,291 jobsHorry County118,291Lexington County: 113,091 jobsLexington County113,091York County: 84,859 jobsYork County84,859Anderson County: 63,175 jobsAnderson County63,175Beaufort County: 62,352 jobsBeaufort County62,352Florence County: 61,398 jobsFlorence County61,398Aiken County: 57,829 jobsAiken County57,829Berkeley County: 45,871 jobsBerkeley County45,871Sumter County: 36,706 jobsSumter County36,706Pickens County: 33,857 jobsPickens County33,857Dorchester County: 31,969 jobsDorchester County31,969Orangeburg County: 28,931 jobsOrangeburg County28,931Greenwood County: 28,634 jobsGreenwood County28,634Oconee County: 23,397 jobsOconee County23,397Georgetown County: 22,994 jobsGeorgetown County22,994Laurens County: 21,583 jobsLaurens County21,583Lancaster County: 21,570 jobsLancaster County21,570Darlington County: 19,808 jobsDarlington County19,808Cherokee County: 18,853 jobsCherokee County18,853Kershaw County: 18,056 jobsKershaw County18,056Chesterfield County: 14,409 jobsChesterfield County14,409Newberry County: 14,123 jobsNewberry County14,123Colleton County: 10,626 jobsColleton County10,626Fairfield County: 10,329 jobsFairfield County10,329Williamsburg County: 9,490 jobsWilliamsburg County9,490Dillon County: 8,473 jobsDillon County8,473Chester County: 8,319 jobsChester County8,319Jasper County: 8,099 jobsJasper County8,099Union County: 7,403 jobsUnion County7,403Clarendon County: 6,992 jobsClarendon County6,992Marlboro County: 6,739 jobsMarlboro County6,739Marion County: 6,520 jobsMarion County6,520Edgefield County: 5,886 jobsEdgefield County5,886Abbeville County: 5,442 jobsAbbeville County5,442Barnwell County: 5,263 jobsBarnwell County5,263Saluda County: 4,554 jobsSaluda County4,554Hampton County: 4,548 jobsHampton County4,548Calhoun County: 4,496 jobsCalhoun County4,496Bamberg County: 3,949 jobsBamberg County3,949Lee County: 3,371 jobsLee County3,371Allendale County: 2,689 jobsAllendale County2,689McCormick County: 1,687 jobsMcCormick County1,687Greenville County: 256,799 jobsGreenville County256,799Charleston County: 235,308 jobsCharleston County235,308Richland County: 213,268 jobsRichland County213,268Spartanburg County: 127,009 jobsSpartanburg County127,009Horry County: 118,291 jobsHorry County118,291Lexington County: 113,091 jobsLexington County113,091York County: 84,859 jobsYork County84,859Anderson County: 63,175 jobsAnderson County63,175Beaufort County: 62,352 jobsBeaufort County62,352Florence County: 61,398 jobsFlorence County61,398Aiken County: 57,829 jobsAiken County57,829Berkeley County: 45,871 jobsBerkeley County45,871Sumter County: 36,706 jobsSumter County36,706Pickens County: 33,857 jobsPickens County33,857Dorchester County: 31,969 jobsDorchester County31,969Orangeburg County: 28,931 jobsOrangeburg County28,931Greenwood County: 28,634 jobsGreenwood County28,634Oconee County: 23,397 jobsOconee County23,397Georgetown County: 22,994 jobsGeorgetown County22,994Laurens County: 21,583 jobsLaurens County21,583Lancaster County: 21,570 jobsLancaster County21,570Darlington County: 19,808 jobsDarlington County19,808Cherokee County: 18,853 jobsCherokee County18,853Kershaw County: 18,056 jobsKershaw County18,056Chesterfield County: 14,409 jobsChesterfield County14,409Newberry County: 14,123 jobsNewberry County14,123Colleton County: 10,626 jobsColleton County10,626Fairfield County: 10,329 jobsFairfield County10,329Williamsburg County: 9,490 jobsWilliamsburg County9,490Dillon County: 8,473 jobsDillon County8,473Chester County: 8,319 jobsChester County8,319Jasper County: 8,099 jobsJasper County8,099Union County: 7,403 jobsUnion County7,403Clarendon County: 6,992 jobsClarendon County6,992Marlboro County: 6,739 jobsMarlboro County6,739Marion County: 6,520 jobsMarion County6,520Edgefield County: 5,886 jobsEdgefield County5,886Abbeville County: 5,442 jobsAbbeville County5,442Barnwell County: 5,263 jobsBarnwell County5,263Saluda County: 4,554 jobsSaluda County4,554Hampton County: 4,548 jobsHampton County4,548Calhoun County: 4,496 jobsCalhoun County4,496Bamberg County: 3,949 jobsBamberg County3,949Lee County: 3,371 jobsLee County3,371Allendale County: 2,689 jobsAllendale County2,689McCormick County: 1,687 jobsMcCormick County1,687
jobs. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015
jobs		Change on 2014
1Greenville County256,799+3.5%
2Charleston County235,308+2.9%
3Richland County213,268+1.7%
4Spartanburg County127,009+2.9%
5Horry County118,291+2.4%
6Lexington County113,091+4.4%
7York County84,859+4.4%
8Anderson County63,175+3.3%
9Beaufort County62,352+3.3%
10Florence County61,398+1.6%
11Aiken County57,829+2.6%
12Berkeley County45,871+6.3%
13Sumter County36,706+1%
14Pickens County33,857-0.4%
15Dorchester County31,969+3.6%
16Orangeburg County28,931-2.2%
17Greenwood County28,634+0.4%
18Oconee County23,397+1.4%
19Georgetown County22,994+1.8%
20Laurens County21,583+6.6%
21Lancaster County21,570+5.5%
22Darlington County19,808+1.4%
23Cherokee County18,853+0.3%
24Kershaw County18,056+4.5%
25Chesterfield County14,409+2.1%
26Newberry County14,123+2%
27Colleton County10,626+0.1%
28Fairfield County10,329+11.3%
29Williamsburg County9,490+2.7%
30Dillon County8,473+1.8%
31Chester County8,319+2.6%
32Jasper County8,099+5.6%
33Union County7,403+3.6%
34Clarendon County6,992+1.7%
35Marlboro County6,739-2%
36Marion County6,5200%
37Edgefield County5,886-2.9%
38Abbeville County5,442+1.1%
39Barnwell County5,263-3.9%
40Saluda County4,554-1.2%
41Hampton County4,548-2.1%
42Calhoun County4,496+6%
43Bamberg County3,949+0.3%
44Lee County3,3710%
45Allendale County2,689-3.1%
46McCormick County1,687-0.8%

Other periods

About this ranking

Average number of jobs covered by unemployment insurance during the year, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

Counts jobs, not people: someone with two jobs counts twice. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools. A count of employer reports, not a survey estimate like oews_employment.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in South Carolina by covered employment (QCEW), 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in South Carolina by covered employment (QCEW), 2015. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in South Carolina by covered employment (QCEW), 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in South Carolina by covered employment (QCEW), 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_south_carolina_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in South Carolina by covered employment (QCEW), 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in South Carolina by covered employment (QCEW), 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Greenville County, with 256,799 jobs in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

McCormick County, with 1,687 jobs in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Covered employment (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in South Carolina: more rankings