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 2018, at 275,231 jobs. McCormick County had the lowest, at 1,753 jobs. The median was 19,163 jobs and the figure for South Carolina was 2,091,683 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest275,231Greenville County
Lowest1,753McCormick County
Median19,16346 counties
South Carolina2,091,683History

Map of counties, 2018

Abbeville County: 5,480 jobsAiken County: 60,521 jobsAllendale County: 2,896 jobsAnderson County: 65,078 jobsBamberg County: 3,749 jobsBarnwell County: 5,521 jobsBeaufort County: 67,390 jobsBerkeley County: 52,886 jobsCalhoun County: 4,613 jobsCharleston County: 254,079 jobsCherokee County: 21,304 jobsChester County: 9,473 jobsChesterfield County: 15,322 jobsClarendon County: 6,879 jobsColleton County: 10,717 jobsDarlington County: 20,933 jobsDillon County: 8,850 jobsDorchester County: 35,925 jobsEdgefield County: 5,442 jobsFairfield County: 5,890 jobsFlorence County: 64,771 jobsGeorgetown County: 23,836 jobsGreenville County: 275,231 jobsGreenwood County: 28,687 jobsHampton County: 4,684 jobsHorry County: 131,240 jobsJasper County: 9,836 jobsKershaw County: 17,393 jobsLancaster County: 24,918 jobsLaurens County: 22,515 jobsLee County: 3,725 jobsLexington County: 119,766 jobsMcCormick County: 1,753 jobsMarion County: 6,904 jobsMarlboro County: 6,838 jobsNewberry County: 14,552 jobsOconee County: 24,242 jobsOrangeburg County: 28,478 jobsPickens County: 36,637 jobsRichland County: 223,016 jobsSaluda County: 4,662 jobsSpartanburg County: 141,952 jobsSumter County: 37,783 jobsUnion County: 7,942 jobsWilliamsburg County: 9,168 jobsYork County: 95,839 jobs
  • Under 5,000
  • 5,000 to 9,000
  • 9,000 to 19K
  • 19K to 29K
  • 29K to 66K
  • 66K and over
jobs, 2018. 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, 2018

Greenville County: 275,231 jobsGreenville County275,231Charleston County: 254,079 jobsCharleston County254,079Richland County: 223,016 jobsRichland County223,016Spartanburg County: 141,952 jobsSpartanburg County141,952Horry County: 131,240 jobsHorry County131,240Lexington County: 119,766 jobsLexington County119,766York County: 95,839 jobsYork County95,839Beaufort County: 67,390 jobsBeaufort County67,390Anderson County: 65,078 jobsAnderson County65,078Florence County: 64,771 jobsFlorence County64,771Aiken County: 60,521 jobsAiken County60,521Berkeley County: 52,886 jobsBerkeley County52,886Sumter County: 37,783 jobsSumter County37,783Pickens County: 36,637 jobsPickens County36,637Dorchester County: 35,925 jobsDorchester County35,925Greenwood County: 28,687 jobsGreenwood County28,687Orangeburg County: 28,478 jobsOrangeburg County28,478Lancaster County: 24,918 jobsLancaster County24,918Oconee County: 24,242 jobsOconee County24,242Georgetown County: 23,836 jobsGeorgetown County23,836Laurens County: 22,515 jobsLaurens County22,515Cherokee County: 21,304 jobsCherokee County21,304Darlington County: 20,933 jobsDarlington County20,933Kershaw County: 17,393 jobsKershaw County17,393Chesterfield County: 15,322 jobsChesterfield County15,322Newberry County: 14,552 jobsNewberry County14,552Colleton County: 10,717 jobsColleton County10,717Jasper County: 9,836 jobsJasper County9,836Chester County: 9,473 jobsChester County9,473Williamsburg County: 9,168 jobsWilliamsburg County9,168Dillon County: 8,850 jobsDillon County8,850Union County: 7,942 jobsUnion County7,942Marion County: 6,904 jobsMarion County6,904Clarendon County: 6,879 jobsClarendon County6,879Marlboro County: 6,838 jobsMarlboro County6,838Fairfield County: 5,890 jobsFairfield County5,890Barnwell County: 5,521 jobsBarnwell County5,521Abbeville County: 5,480 jobsAbbeville County5,480Edgefield County: 5,442 jobsEdgefield County5,442Hampton County: 4,684 jobsHampton County4,684Saluda County: 4,662 jobsSaluda County4,662Calhoun County: 4,613 jobsCalhoun County4,613Bamberg County: 3,749 jobsBamberg County3,749Lee County: 3,725 jobsLee County3,725Allendale County: 2,896 jobsAllendale County2,896McCormick County: 1,753 jobsMcCormick County1,753Greenville County: 275,231 jobsGreenville County275,231Charleston County: 254,079 jobsCharleston County254,079Richland County: 223,016 jobsRichland County223,016Spartanburg County: 141,952 jobsSpartanburg County141,952Horry County: 131,240 jobsHorry County131,240Lexington County: 119,766 jobsLexington County119,766York County: 95,839 jobsYork County95,839Beaufort County: 67,390 jobsBeaufort County67,390Anderson County: 65,078 jobsAnderson County65,078Florence County: 64,771 jobsFlorence County64,771Aiken County: 60,521 jobsAiken County60,521Berkeley County: 52,886 jobsBerkeley County52,886Sumter County: 37,783 jobsSumter County37,783Pickens County: 36,637 jobsPickens County36,637Dorchester County: 35,925 jobsDorchester County35,925Greenwood County: 28,687 jobsGreenwood County28,687Orangeburg County: 28,478 jobsOrangeburg County28,478Lancaster County: 24,918 jobsLancaster County24,918Oconee County: 24,242 jobsOconee County24,242Georgetown County: 23,836 jobsGeorgetown County23,836Laurens County: 22,515 jobsLaurens County22,515Cherokee County: 21,304 jobsCherokee County21,304Darlington County: 20,933 jobsDarlington County20,933Kershaw County: 17,393 jobsKershaw County17,393Chesterfield County: 15,322 jobsChesterfield County15,322Newberry County: 14,552 jobsNewberry County14,552Colleton County: 10,717 jobsColleton County10,717Jasper County: 9,836 jobsJasper County9,836Chester County: 9,473 jobsChester County9,473Williamsburg County: 9,168 jobsWilliamsburg County9,168Dillon County: 8,850 jobsDillon County8,850Union County: 7,942 jobsUnion County7,942Marion County: 6,904 jobsMarion County6,904Clarendon County: 6,879 jobsClarendon County6,879Marlboro County: 6,838 jobsMarlboro County6,838Fairfield County: 5,890 jobsFairfield County5,890Barnwell County: 5,521 jobsBarnwell County5,521Abbeville County: 5,480 jobsAbbeville County5,480Edgefield County: 5,442 jobsEdgefield County5,442Hampton County: 4,684 jobsHampton County4,684Saluda County: 4,662 jobsSaluda County4,662Calhoun County: 4,613 jobsCalhoun County4,613Bamberg County: 3,749 jobsBamberg County3,749Lee County: 3,725 jobsLee County3,725Allendale County: 2,896 jobsAllendale County2,896McCormick County: 1,753 jobsMcCormick County1,753
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

RankCounties2018
jobs		Change on 2017
1Greenville County275,231+3.2%
2Charleston County254,079+3.1%
3Richland County223,016+1.7%
4Spartanburg County141,952+3.5%
5Horry County131,240+3.3%
6Lexington County119,766+1.7%
7York County95,839+2.6%
8Beaufort County67,390+3.7%
9Anderson County65,078+1.2%
10Florence County64,771+3.2%
11Aiken County60,521+2.2%
12Berkeley County52,886+5.8%
13Sumter County37,783+1.5%
14Pickens County36,637+4.2%
15Dorchester County35,925+4.1%
16Greenwood County28,687+1.8%
17Orangeburg County28,478+0.6%
18Lancaster County24,918+4.8%
19Oconee County24,242+3.5%
20Georgetown County23,836+2.4%
21Laurens County22,515+0.7%
22Cherokee County21,304+8.9%
23Darlington County20,933+4%
24Kershaw County17,393+0.8%
25Chesterfield County15,322+3.9%
26Newberry County14,552+5.1%
27Colleton County10,717-0%
28Jasper County9,836+7.1%
29Chester County9,473+10.5%
30Williamsburg County9,168-0.3%
31Dillon County8,850+2%
32Union County7,942+2.2%
33Marion County6,904+8.8%
34Clarendon County6,879+2.6%
35Marlboro County6,838+2.1%
36Fairfield County5,890-35.9%
37Barnwell County5,521+7.4%
38Abbeville County5,480+0.6%
39Edgefield County5,442+2.2%
40Hampton County4,684+1.7%
41Saluda County4,662+0.6%
42Calhoun County4,613-0%
43Bamberg County3,749-3.6%
44Lee County3,725+7.8%
45Allendale County2,896+1.3%
46McCormick County1,753+2.5%

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/2018/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), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/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), 2018. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2018. 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), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2018.

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), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_south_carolina_2018,
  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), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2018. 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/2018/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), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2018.
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/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in South Carolina by covered employment (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Greenville County, with 275,231 jobs in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

McCormick County, with 1,753 jobs in 2018.

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