Counties in South Carolina by covered employment (QCEW)

Greenville County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 46 counties in 2024, at 296,981 jobs. McCormick County had the lowest, at 2,064 jobs. The median was 18,200 jobs and the figure for South Carolina was 2,284,611 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest296,981Greenville County
Lowest2,064McCormick County
Median18,20046 counties
South Carolina2,284,611History

Map of counties, 2024

Abbeville County: 5,772 jobsAiken County: 65,165 jobsAllendale County: 2,515 jobsAnderson County: 72,695 jobsBamberg County: 3,556 jobsBarnwell County: 4,864 jobsBeaufort County: 71,044 jobsBerkeley County: 66,943 jobsCalhoun County: 4,558 jobsCharleston County: 278,476 jobsCherokee County: 18,064 jobsChester County: 10,409 jobsChesterfield County: 14,200 jobsClarendon County: 6,694 jobsColleton County: 10,285 jobsDarlington County: 20,044 jobsDillon County: 9,504 jobsDorchester County: 41,444 jobsEdgefield County: 6,014 jobsFairfield County: 6,051 jobsFlorence County: 68,848 jobsGeorgetown County: 26,006 jobsGreenville County: 296,981 jobsGreenwood County: 27,679 jobsHampton County: 4,867 jobsHorry County: 144,489 jobsJasper County: 10,961 jobsKershaw County: 18,335 jobsLancaster County: 28,110 jobsLaurens County: 20,195 jobsLee County: 3,667 jobsLexington County: 132,596 jobsMcCormick County: 2,064 jobsMarion County: 7,064 jobsMarlboro County: 5,591 jobsNewberry County: 14,366 jobsOconee County: 25,478 jobsOrangeburg County: 27,859 jobsPickens County: 39,859 jobsRichland County: 227,771 jobsSaluda County: 4,733 jobsSpartanburg County: 155,484 jobsSumter County: 35,179 jobsUnion County: 7,424 jobsWilliamsburg County: 6,318 jobsYork County: 104,775 jobs
  • Under 5,000
  • 5,000 to 7,000
  • 7,000 to 18K
  • 18K to 28K
  • 28K to 72K
  • 72K and over
jobs, 2024. 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, 2024

Greenville County: 296,981 jobsGreenville County296,981Charleston County: 278,476 jobsCharleston County278,476Richland County: 227,771 jobsRichland County227,771Spartanburg County: 155,484 jobsSpartanburg County155,484Horry County: 144,489 jobsHorry County144,489Lexington County: 132,596 jobsLexington County132,596York County: 104,775 jobsYork County104,775Anderson County: 72,695 jobsAnderson County72,695Beaufort County: 71,044 jobsBeaufort County71,044Florence County: 68,848 jobsFlorence County68,848Berkeley County: 66,943 jobsBerkeley County66,943Aiken County: 65,165 jobsAiken County65,165Dorchester County: 41,444 jobsDorchester County41,444Pickens County: 39,859 jobsPickens County39,859Sumter County: 35,179 jobsSumter County35,179Lancaster County: 28,110 jobsLancaster County28,110Orangeburg County: 27,859 jobsOrangeburg County27,859Greenwood County: 27,679 jobsGreenwood County27,679Georgetown County: 26,006 jobsGeorgetown County26,006Oconee County: 25,478 jobsOconee County25,478Laurens County: 20,195 jobsLaurens County20,195Darlington County: 20,044 jobsDarlington County20,044Kershaw County: 18,335 jobsKershaw County18,335Cherokee County: 18,064 jobsCherokee County18,064Newberry County: 14,366 jobsNewberry County14,366Chesterfield County: 14,200 jobsChesterfield County14,200Jasper County: 10,961 jobsJasper County10,961Chester County: 10,409 jobsChester County10,409Colleton County: 10,285 jobsColleton County10,285Dillon County: 9,504 jobsDillon County9,504Union County: 7,424 jobsUnion County7,424Marion County: 7,064 jobsMarion County7,064Clarendon County: 6,694 jobsClarendon County6,694Williamsburg County: 6,318 jobsWilliamsburg County6,318Fairfield County: 6,051 jobsFairfield County6,051Edgefield County: 6,014 jobsEdgefield County6,014Abbeville County: 5,772 jobsAbbeville County5,772Marlboro County: 5,591 jobsMarlboro County5,591Hampton County: 4,867 jobsHampton County4,867Barnwell County: 4,864 jobsBarnwell County4,864Saluda County: 4,733 jobsSaluda County4,733Calhoun County: 4,558 jobsCalhoun County4,558Lee County: 3,667 jobsLee County3,667Bamberg County: 3,556 jobsBamberg County3,556Allendale County: 2,515 jobsAllendale County2,515McCormick County: 2,064 jobsMcCormick County2,064Greenville County: 296,981 jobsGreenville County296,981Charleston County: 278,476 jobsCharleston County278,476Richland County: 227,771 jobsRichland County227,771Spartanburg County: 155,484 jobsSpartanburg County155,484Horry County: 144,489 jobsHorry County144,489Lexington County: 132,596 jobsLexington County132,596York County: 104,775 jobsYork County104,775Anderson County: 72,695 jobsAnderson County72,695Beaufort County: 71,044 jobsBeaufort County71,044Florence County: 68,848 jobsFlorence County68,848Berkeley County: 66,943 jobsBerkeley County66,943Aiken County: 65,165 jobsAiken County65,165Dorchester County: 41,444 jobsDorchester County41,444Pickens County: 39,859 jobsPickens County39,859Sumter County: 35,179 jobsSumter County35,179Lancaster County: 28,110 jobsLancaster County28,110Orangeburg County: 27,859 jobsOrangeburg County27,859Greenwood County: 27,679 jobsGreenwood County27,679Georgetown County: 26,006 jobsGeorgetown County26,006Oconee County: 25,478 jobsOconee County25,478Laurens County: 20,195 jobsLaurens County20,195Darlington County: 20,044 jobsDarlington County20,044Kershaw County: 18,335 jobsKershaw County18,335Cherokee County: 18,064 jobsCherokee County18,064Newberry County: 14,366 jobsNewberry County14,366Chesterfield County: 14,200 jobsChesterfield County14,200Jasper County: 10,961 jobsJasper County10,961Chester County: 10,409 jobsChester County10,409Colleton County: 10,285 jobsColleton County10,285Dillon County: 9,504 jobsDillon County9,504Union County: 7,424 jobsUnion County7,424Marion County: 7,064 jobsMarion County7,064Clarendon County: 6,694 jobsClarendon County6,694Williamsburg County: 6,318 jobsWilliamsburg County6,318Fairfield County: 6,051 jobsFairfield County6,051Edgefield County: 6,014 jobsEdgefield County6,014Abbeville County: 5,772 jobsAbbeville County5,772Marlboro County: 5,591 jobsMarlboro County5,591Hampton County: 4,867 jobsHampton County4,867Barnwell County: 4,864 jobsBarnwell County4,864Saluda County: 4,733 jobsSaluda County4,733Calhoun County: 4,558 jobsCalhoun County4,558Lee County: 3,667 jobsLee County3,667Bamberg County: 3,556 jobsBamberg County3,556Allendale County: 2,515 jobsAllendale County2,515McCormick County: 2,064 jobsMcCormick County2,064
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

RankCounties2024
jobs
Change on 2023
1Greenville County296,981+1.8%
2Charleston County278,476+1.6%
3Richland County227,771+1.7%
4Spartanburg County155,484+2%
5Horry County144,489+2.4%
6Lexington County132,596+1.9%
7York County104,775+0.7%
8Anderson County72,695+1.7%
9Beaufort County71,044+0.3%
10Florence County68,848+1.5%
11Berkeley County66,943+4.6%
12Aiken County65,165+1.9%
13Dorchester County41,444+5.2%
14Pickens County39,859+2.4%
15Sumter County35,179-1.1%
16Lancaster County28,110+2.5%
17Orangeburg County27,859-1.7%
18Greenwood County27,679+0.3%
19Georgetown County26,006+2.2%
20Oconee County25,478-0.1%
21Laurens County20,195-1.5%
22Darlington County20,044-1.5%
23Kershaw County18,335-0.4%
24Cherokee County18,064-4.7%
25Newberry County14,366-3.5%
26Chesterfield County14,200-2.5%
27Jasper County10,961-0.2%
28Chester County10,409+2.5%
29Colleton County10,285+1.8%
30Dillon County9,504-0.9%
31Union County7,424+1.1%
32Marion County7,064+4.8%
33Clarendon County6,694-1.9%
34Williamsburg County6,318-12.8%
35Fairfield County6,051+2.6%
36Edgefield County6,014+5%
37Abbeville County5,772+7.4%
38Marlboro County5,591+1.1%
39Hampton County4,867+3.8%
40Barnwell County4,864-2.7%
41Saluda County4,733-2.1%
42Calhoun County4,558-0.9%
43Lee County3,667-4.9%
44Bamberg County3,556+0.7%
45Allendale County2,515+2.4%
46McCormick County2,064+8.4%

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/2024/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), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/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), 2024. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2024. 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), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2024.

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), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2024 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_south_carolina_2024,
  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), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2024. 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/2024/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), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/south-carolina-counties?period=2024.
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/2024/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 296,981 jobs in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

McCormick County, with 2,064 jobs in 2024.

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