Counties in South Carolina by covered employment (QCEW)

Greenville County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 46 counties in 2020, at 264,396 jobs. McCormick County had the lowest, at 1,576 jobs. The median was 18,158 jobs and the figure for South Carolina was 2,028,041 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest264,396Greenville County
Lowest1,576McCormick County
Median18,15846 counties
South Carolina2,028,041History

Map of counties, 2020

Abbeville County: 5,315 jobsAiken County: 58,311 jobsAllendale County: 2,533 jobsAnderson County: 64,525 jobsBamberg County: 3,424 jobsBarnwell County: 4,848 jobsBeaufort County: 64,763 jobsBerkeley County: 55,015 jobsCalhoun County: 4,582 jobsCharleston County: 242,243 jobsCherokee County: 19,510 jobsChester County: 9,517 jobsChesterfield County: 14,239 jobsClarendon County: 6,642 jobsColleton County: 10,119 jobsDarlington County: 19,607 jobsDillon County: 9,137 jobsDorchester County: 34,497 jobsEdgefield County: 5,155 jobsFairfield County: 5,291 jobsFlorence County: 63,507 jobsGeorgetown County: 23,446 jobsGreenville County: 264,396 jobsGreenwood County: 27,522 jobsHampton County: 4,464 jobsHorry County: 122,231 jobsJasper County: 9,643 jobsKershaw County: 16,806 jobsLancaster County: 25,305 jobsLaurens County: 19,916 jobsLee County: 3,721 jobsLexington County: 119,027 jobsMcCormick County: 1,576 jobsMarion County: 6,900 jobsMarlboro County: 6,457 jobsNewberry County: 14,310 jobsOconee County: 23,460 jobsOrangeburg County: 27,241 jobsPickens County: 35,049 jobsRichland County: 212,162 jobsSaluda County: 4,989 jobsSpartanburg County: 144,453 jobsSumter County: 35,639 jobsUnion County: 7,461 jobsWilliamsburg County: 8,108 jobsYork County: 96,903 jobs
  • Under 5,000
  • 5,000 to 8,000
  • 8,000 to 18K
  • 18K to 28K
  • 28K to 65K
  • 65K and over
jobs, 2020. 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, 2020

Greenville County: 264,396 jobsGreenville County264,396Charleston County: 242,243 jobsCharleston County242,243Richland County: 212,162 jobsRichland County212,162Spartanburg County: 144,453 jobsSpartanburg County144,453Horry County: 122,231 jobsHorry County122,231Lexington County: 119,027 jobsLexington County119,027York County: 96,903 jobsYork County96,903Beaufort County: 64,763 jobsBeaufort County64,763Anderson County: 64,525 jobsAnderson County64,525Florence County: 63,507 jobsFlorence County63,507Aiken County: 58,311 jobsAiken County58,311Berkeley County: 55,015 jobsBerkeley County55,015Sumter County: 35,639 jobsSumter County35,639Pickens County: 35,049 jobsPickens County35,049Dorchester County: 34,497 jobsDorchester County34,497Greenwood County: 27,522 jobsGreenwood County27,522Orangeburg County: 27,241 jobsOrangeburg County27,241Lancaster County: 25,305 jobsLancaster County25,305Oconee County: 23,460 jobsOconee County23,460Georgetown County: 23,446 jobsGeorgetown County23,446Laurens County: 19,916 jobsLaurens County19,916Darlington County: 19,607 jobsDarlington County19,607Cherokee County: 19,510 jobsCherokee County19,510Kershaw County: 16,806 jobsKershaw County16,806Newberry County: 14,310 jobsNewberry County14,310Chesterfield County: 14,239 jobsChesterfield County14,239Colleton County: 10,119 jobsColleton County10,119Jasper County: 9,643 jobsJasper County9,643Chester County: 9,517 jobsChester County9,517Dillon County: 9,137 jobsDillon County9,137Williamsburg County: 8,108 jobsWilliamsburg County8,108Union County: 7,461 jobsUnion County7,461Marion County: 6,900 jobsMarion County6,900Clarendon County: 6,642 jobsClarendon County6,642Marlboro County: 6,457 jobsMarlboro County6,457Abbeville County: 5,315 jobsAbbeville County5,315Fairfield County: 5,291 jobsFairfield County5,291Edgefield County: 5,155 jobsEdgefield County5,155Saluda County: 4,989 jobsSaluda County4,989Barnwell County: 4,848 jobsBarnwell County4,848Calhoun County: 4,582 jobsCalhoun County4,582Hampton County: 4,464 jobsHampton County4,464Lee County: 3,721 jobsLee County3,721Bamberg County: 3,424 jobsBamberg County3,424Allendale County: 2,533 jobsAllendale County2,533McCormick County: 1,576 jobsMcCormick County1,576Greenville County: 264,396 jobsGreenville County264,396Charleston County: 242,243 jobsCharleston County242,243Richland County: 212,162 jobsRichland County212,162Spartanburg County: 144,453 jobsSpartanburg County144,453Horry County: 122,231 jobsHorry County122,231Lexington County: 119,027 jobsLexington County119,027York County: 96,903 jobsYork County96,903Beaufort County: 64,763 jobsBeaufort County64,763Anderson County: 64,525 jobsAnderson County64,525Florence County: 63,507 jobsFlorence County63,507Aiken County: 58,311 jobsAiken County58,311Berkeley County: 55,015 jobsBerkeley County55,015Sumter County: 35,639 jobsSumter County35,639Pickens County: 35,049 jobsPickens County35,049Dorchester County: 34,497 jobsDorchester County34,497Greenwood County: 27,522 jobsGreenwood County27,522Orangeburg County: 27,241 jobsOrangeburg County27,241Lancaster County: 25,305 jobsLancaster County25,305Oconee County: 23,460 jobsOconee County23,460Georgetown County: 23,446 jobsGeorgetown County23,446Laurens County: 19,916 jobsLaurens County19,916Darlington County: 19,607 jobsDarlington County19,607Cherokee County: 19,510 jobsCherokee County19,510Kershaw County: 16,806 jobsKershaw County16,806Newberry County: 14,310 jobsNewberry County14,310Chesterfield County: 14,239 jobsChesterfield County14,239Colleton County: 10,119 jobsColleton County10,119Jasper County: 9,643 jobsJasper County9,643Chester County: 9,517 jobsChester County9,517Dillon County: 9,137 jobsDillon County9,137Williamsburg County: 8,108 jobsWilliamsburg County8,108Union County: 7,461 jobsUnion County7,461Marion County: 6,900 jobsMarion County6,900Clarendon County: 6,642 jobsClarendon County6,642Marlboro County: 6,457 jobsMarlboro County6,457Abbeville County: 5,315 jobsAbbeville County5,315Fairfield County: 5,291 jobsFairfield County5,291Edgefield County: 5,155 jobsEdgefield County5,155Saluda County: 4,989 jobsSaluda County4,989Barnwell County: 4,848 jobsBarnwell County4,848Calhoun County: 4,582 jobsCalhoun County4,582Hampton County: 4,464 jobsHampton County4,464Lee County: 3,721 jobsLee County3,721Bamberg County: 3,424 jobsBamberg County3,424Allendale County: 2,533 jobsAllendale County2,533McCormick County: 1,576 jobsMcCormick County1,576
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

RankCounties2020
jobs
Change on 2019
1Greenville County264,396-5.4%
2Charleston County242,243-6.7%
3Richland County212,162-5%
4Spartanburg County144,453-2.2%
5Horry County122,231-8.7%
6Lexington County119,027-2.6%
7York County96,903-3.4%
8Beaufort County64,763-5.9%
9Anderson County64,525-3%
10Florence County63,507-3.9%
11Aiken County58,311-5.1%
12Berkeley County55,015-0.5%
13Sumter County35,639-4.4%
14Pickens County35,049-5.4%
15Dorchester County34,497-5.1%
16Greenwood County27,522-5.4%
17Orangeburg County27,241-5.7%
18Lancaster County25,305-2.6%
19Oconee County23,460-3.5%
20Georgetown County23,446-3.3%
21Laurens County19,916-6.9%
22Darlington County19,607-5%
23Cherokee County19,510-7.6%
24Kershaw County16,806-5.1%
25Newberry County14,310-2%
26Chesterfield County14,239-6.6%
27Colleton County10,119-5.2%
28Jasper County9,643-2.6%
29Chester County9,517-3.1%
30Dillon County9,137-0.3%
31Williamsburg County8,108-10.4%
32Union County7,461-10.7%
33Marion County6,900-1%
34Clarendon County6,642-4.4%
35Marlboro County6,457-5%
36Abbeville County5,315-4%
37Fairfield County5,291-3%
38Edgefield County5,155-6.7%
39Saluda County4,989+4.2%
40Barnwell County4,848-9.6%
41Calhoun County4,582-1.6%
42Hampton County4,464-4.9%
43Lee County3,721+0.8%
44Bamberg County3,424-6.7%
45Allendale County2,533-6.9%
46McCormick County1,576-7.9%

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/2020/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), 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/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), 2020. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2020. 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), 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2020.

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), 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_south_carolina_2020,
  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), 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2020. 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/2020/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), 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2020.
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/2020/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 264,396 jobs in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

McCormick County, with 1,576 jobs in 2020.

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