Data / Rankings / Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in South Carolina

Counties in South Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)

York County had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 46 counties in 2021, at 66.3%. McCormick County had the lowest, at 39%. The median was 55.4% and the figure for South Carolina was 60.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest66.3York County
Lowest39McCormick County
Median55.446 counties
South Carolina60.5History

Map of counties, 2021

Abbeville County: 52.5 %Aiken County: 58.6 %Allendale County: 44.5 %Anderson County: 60.2 %Bamberg County: 49.2 %Barnwell County: 54.8 %Beaufort County: 55.2 %Berkeley County: 65.5 %Calhoun County: 57.7 %Charleston County: 65.8 %Cherokee County: 57.3 %Chester County: 54.8 %Chesterfield County: 56.4 %Clarendon County: 48.7 %Colleton County: 55 %Darlington County: 53.3 %Dillon County: 55.5 %Dorchester County: 64.4 %Edgefield County: 51.7 %Fairfield County: 55 %Florence County: 58.3 %Georgetown County: 52.5 %Greenville County: 65.2 %Greenwood County: 57 %Hampton County: 52.1 %Horry County: 54.6 %Jasper County: 55.8 %Kershaw County: 58.1 %Lancaster County: 57.2 %Laurens County: 56.6 %Lee County: 47.6 %Lexington County: 64.7 %McCormick County: 39 %Marion County: 48.1 %Marlboro County: 43.3 %Newberry County: 59.3 %Oconee County: 53.7 %Orangeburg County: 53.7 %Pickens County: 58.1 %Richland County: 66.1 %Saluda County: 55.2 %Spartanburg County: 62.1 %Sumter County: 60.2 %Union County: 55.3 %Williamsburg County: 47.8 %York County: 66.3 %
  • Under 50
  • 50 to 55
  • 55 to 58
  • 58 to 61
  • 61 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2021

York County: 66.3 %York County66.3Richland County: 66.1 %Richland County66.1Charleston County: 65.8 %Charleston County65.8Berkeley County: 65.5 %Berkeley County65.5Greenville County: 65.2 %Greenville County65.2Lexington County: 64.7 %Lexington County64.7Dorchester County: 64.4 %Dorchester County64.4Spartanburg County: 62.1 %Spartanburg County62.1Sumter County: 60.2 %Sumter County60.2Anderson County: 60.2 %Anderson County60.2Newberry County: 59.3 %Newberry County59.3Aiken County: 58.6 %Aiken County58.6Florence County: 58.3 %Florence County58.3Kershaw County: 58.1 %Kershaw County58.1Pickens County: 58.1 %Pickens County58.1Calhoun County: 57.7 %Calhoun County57.7Cherokee County: 57.3 %Cherokee County57.3Lancaster County: 57.2 %Lancaster County57.2Greenwood County: 57 %Greenwood County57Laurens County: 56.6 %Laurens County56.6Chesterfield County: 56.4 %Chesterfield County56.4Jasper County: 55.8 %Jasper County55.8Dillon County: 55.5 %Dillon County55.5Union County: 55.3 %Union County55.3Saluda County: 55.2 %Saluda County55.2Beaufort County: 55.2 %Beaufort County55.2Colleton County: 55 %Colleton County55Fairfield County: 55 %Fairfield County55Chester County: 54.8 %Chester County54.8Barnwell County: 54.8 %Barnwell County54.8Horry County: 54.6 %Horry County54.6Orangeburg County: 53.7 %Orangeburg County53.7Oconee County: 53.7 %Oconee County53.7Darlington County: 53.3 %Darlington County53.3Georgetown County: 52.5 %Georgetown County52.5Abbeville County: 52.5 %Abbeville County52.5Hampton County: 52.1 %Hampton County52.1Edgefield County: 51.7 %Edgefield County51.7Bamberg County: 49.2 %Bamberg County49.2Clarendon County: 48.7 %Clarendon County48.7Marion County: 48.1 %Marion County48.1Williamsburg County: 47.8 %Williamsburg County47.8Lee County: 47.6 %Lee County47.6Allendale County: 44.5 %Allendale County44.5Marlboro County: 43.3 %Marlboro County43.3McCormick County: 39 %McCormick County39York County: 66.3 %York County66.3Richland County: 66.1 %Richland County66.1Charleston County: 65.8 %Charleston County65.8Berkeley County: 65.5 %Berkeley County65.5Greenville County: 65.2 %Greenville County65.2Lexington County: 64.7 %Lexington County64.7Dorchester County: 64.4 %Dorchester County64.4Spartanburg County: 62.1 %Spartanburg County62.1Sumter County: 60.2 %Sumter County60.2Anderson County: 60.2 %Anderson County60.2Newberry County: 59.3 %Newberry County59.3Aiken County: 58.6 %Aiken County58.6Florence County: 58.3 %Florence County58.3Kershaw County: 58.1 %Kershaw County58.1Pickens County: 58.1 %Pickens County58.1Calhoun County: 57.7 %Calhoun County57.7Cherokee County: 57.3 %Cherokee County57.3Lancaster County: 57.2 %Lancaster County57.2Greenwood County: 57 %Greenwood County57Laurens County: 56.6 %Laurens County56.6Chesterfield County: 56.4 %Chesterfield County56.4Jasper County: 55.8 %Jasper County55.8Dillon County: 55.5 %Dillon County55.5Union County: 55.3 %Union County55.3Saluda County: 55.2 %Saluda County55.2Beaufort County: 55.2 %Beaufort County55.2Colleton County: 55 %Colleton County55Fairfield County: 55 %Fairfield County55Chester County: 54.8 %Chester County54.8Barnwell County: 54.8 %Barnwell County54.8Horry County: 54.6 %Horry County54.6Orangeburg County: 53.7 %Orangeburg County53.7Oconee County: 53.7 %Oconee County53.7Darlington County: 53.3 %Darlington County53.3Georgetown County: 52.5 %Georgetown County52.5Abbeville County: 52.5 %Abbeville County52.5Hampton County: 52.1 %Hampton County52.1Edgefield County: 51.7 %Edgefield County51.7Bamberg County: 49.2 %Bamberg County49.2Clarendon County: 48.7 %Clarendon County48.7Marion County: 48.1 %Marion County48.1Williamsburg County: 47.8 %Williamsburg County47.8Lee County: 47.6 %Lee County47.6Allendale County: 44.5 %Allendale County44.5Marlboro County: 43.3 %Marlboro County43.3McCormick County: 39 %McCormick County39
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1York County66.3
2Richland County66.1
3Charleston County65.8
4Berkeley County65.5
5Greenville County65.2
6Lexington County64.7
7Dorchester County64.4
8Spartanburg County62.1
9Sumter County60.2
10Anderson County60.2
11Newberry County59.3
12Aiken County58.6
13Florence County58.3
14Kershaw County58.1
15Pickens County58.1
16Calhoun County57.7
17Cherokee County57.3
18Lancaster County57.2
19Greenwood County57
20Laurens County56.6
21Chesterfield County56.4
22Jasper County55.8
23Dillon County55.5
24Union County55.3
25Saluda County55.2
26Beaufort County55.2
27Colleton County55
28Fairfield County55
29Chester County54.8
30Barnwell County54.8
31Horry County54.6
32Orangeburg County53.7
33Oconee County53.7
34Darlington County53.3
35Georgetown County52.5
36Abbeville County52.5
37Hampton County52.1
38Edgefield County51.7
39Bamberg County49.2
40Clarendon County48.7
41Marion County48.1
42Williamsburg County47.8
43Lee County47.6
44Allendale County44.5
45Marlboro County43.3
46McCormick County39

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 16 and over in the labor force (employed, unemployed or in the Armed Forces) as a percentage of all people aged 16 and over, including people in group quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The Census Bureau definition used in its data profiles. It differs from the BLS labor_force_participation_rate, which counts the civilian noninstitutional population only.

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. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. 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. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in South Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in South Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in South Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in South Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_south_carolina_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in South Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in South Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in South Carolina by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"labor_force_participation_rate_acs","level":"province","within":"South Carolina","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=labor_force_participation_rate_acs&level=province&within=South%20Carolina&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

York County, with 66.3% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

McCormick County, with 39% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in South Carolina: more rankings