Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in South Carolina

Cities in South Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

Orangeburg, SC had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 43 cities in 2024, at 11.8%. Port Royal, SC had the lowest, at 1%. The median was 4.5% and the figure for South Carolina was 4.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest11.8Orangeburg, SC
Lowest1Port Royal, SC
Median4.543 cities
South Carolina4.9History

All cities, 2024

Orangeburg, SC: 11.8 %Orangeburg, SC11.8Gaffney, SC: 10.6 %Gaffney, SC10.6Greenwood, SC: 8.7 %Greenwood, SC8.7Irmo, SC: 8.4 %Irmo, SC8.4Conway, SC: 8.3 %Conway, SC8.3Columbia, SC: 7.5 %Columbia, SC7.5Spartanburg, SC: 7.5 %Spartanburg, SC7.5Hardeeville, SC: 7.3 %Hardeeville, SC7.3Newberry, SC: 7 %Newberry, SC7Anderson, SC: 6.8 %Anderson, SC6.8Sumter, SC: 6.6 %Sumter, SC6.6Rock Hill, SC: 5.8 %Rock Hill, SC5.8Florence, SC: 5.4 %Florence, SC5.4Myrtle Beach, SC: 5.4 %Myrtle Beach, SC5.4Aiken, SC: 5.4 %Aiken, SC5.4Cayce, SC: 5.3 %Cayce, SC5.3Lexington, SC: 5.2 %Lexington, SC5.2Mauldin, SC: 4.9 %Mauldin, SC4.9Summerville, SC: 4.9 %Summerville, SC4.9West Columbia, SC: 4.8 %West Columbia, SC4.8Fountain Inn, SC: 4.7 %Fountain Inn, SC4.7Clemson, SC: 4.5 %Clemson, SC4.5Greenville, SC: 4.4 %Greenville, SC4.4North Charleston, SC: 4.3 %North Charleston, SC4.3Simpsonville, SC: 4.1 %Simpsonville, SC4.1Forest Acres, SC: 4.1 %Forest Acres, SC4.1North Myrtle Beach, SC: 4 %North Myrtle Beach, SC4North Augusta, SC: 3.8 %North Augusta, SC3.8Beaufort, SC: 3.7 %Beaufort, SC3.7Moncks Corner, SC: 3.6 %Moncks Corner, SC3.6Charleston, SC: 3.4 %Charleston, SC3.4Mount Pleasant, SC: 3.3 %Mount Pleasant, SC3.3Easley, SC: 3.2 %Easley, SC3.2Hilton Head Island, SC: 3 %Hilton Head Island, SC3Goose Creek, SC: 2.7 %Goose Creek, SC2.7Hanahan, SC: 2.5 %Hanahan, SC2.5Greer, SC: 2.4 %Greer, SC2.4Fort Mill, SC: 2.3 %Fort Mill, SC2.3Bluffton, SC: 2.2 %Bluffton, SC2.2Tega Cay, SC: 2.2 %Tega Cay, SC2.2York, SC: 2.2 %York, SC2.2James Island, SC: 1.2 %James Island, SC1.2Port Royal, SC: 1 %Port Royal, SC1Orangeburg, SC: 11.8 %Orangeburg, SC11.8Gaffney, SC: 10.6 %Gaffney, SC10.6Greenwood, SC: 8.7 %Greenwood, SC8.7Irmo, SC: 8.4 %Irmo, SC8.4Conway, SC: 8.3 %Conway, SC8.3Columbia, SC: 7.5 %Columbia, SC7.5Spartanburg, SC: 7.5 %Spartanburg, SC7.5Hardeeville, SC: 7.3 %Hardeeville, SC7.3Newberry, SC: 7 %Newberry, SC7Anderson, SC: 6.8 %Anderson, SC6.8Sumter, SC: 6.6 %Sumter, SC6.6Rock Hill, SC: 5.8 %Rock Hill, SC5.8Florence, SC: 5.4 %Florence, SC5.4Myrtle Beach, SC: 5.4 %Myrtle Beach, SC5.4Aiken, SC: 5.4 %Aiken, SC5.4Cayce, SC: 5.3 %Cayce, SC5.3Lexington, SC: 5.2 %Lexington, SC5.2Mauldin, SC: 4.9 %Mauldin, SC4.9Summerville, SC: 4.9 %Summerville, SC4.9West Columbia, SC: 4.8 %West Columbia, SC4.8Fountain Inn, SC: 4.7 %Fountain Inn, SC4.7Clemson, SC: 4.5 %Clemson, SC4.5Greenville, SC: 4.4 %Greenville, SC4.4North Charleston, SC: 4.3 %North Charleston, SC4.3Simpsonville, SC: 4.1 %Simpsonville, SC4.1Forest Acres, SC: 4.1 %Forest Acres, SC4.1North Myrtle Beach, SC: 4 %North Myrtle Beach, SC4North Augusta, SC: 3.8 %North Augusta, SC3.8Beaufort, SC: 3.7 %Beaufort, SC3.7Moncks Corner, SC: 3.6 %Moncks Corner, SC3.6Charleston, SC: 3.4 %Charleston, SC3.4Mount Pleasant, SC: 3.3 %Mount Pleasant, SC3.3Easley, SC: 3.2 %Easley, SC3.2Hilton Head Island, SC: 3 %Hilton Head Island, SC3Goose Creek, SC: 2.7 %Goose Creek, SC2.7Hanahan, SC: 2.5 %Hanahan, SC2.5Greer, SC: 2.4 %Greer, SC2.4Fort Mill, SC: 2.3 %Fort Mill, SC2.3Bluffton, SC: 2.2 %Bluffton, SC2.2Tega Cay, SC: 2.2 %Tega Cay, SC2.2York, SC: 2.2 %York, SC2.2James Island, SC: 1.2 %James Island, SC1.2Port Royal, SC: 1 %Port Royal, SC1
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Orangeburg, SC11.80 pts
2Gaffney, SC10.6-0.8 pts
3Greenwood, SC8.7+2.2 pts
4Irmo, SC8.4+0.2 pts
5Conway, SC8.3+0.1 pts
6Columbia, SC7.5-0.1 pts
7Spartanburg, SC7.5+0.5 pts
8Hardeeville, SC7.3-0.2 pts
9Newberry, SC7-0.5 pts
10Anderson, SC6.8-0.5 pts
11Sumter, SC6.6-1.2 pts
12Rock Hill, SC5.8-0.2 pts
13Florence, SC5.4-0.2 pts
14Myrtle Beach, SC5.4+1.1 pts
15Aiken, SC5.4+0.7 pts
16Cayce, SC5.30 pts
17Lexington, SC5.2+1.1 pts
18Mauldin, SC4.90 pts
19Summerville, SC4.9-0.1 pts
20West Columbia, SC4.8+0.7 pts
21Fountain Inn, SC4.7-1.5 pts
22Clemson, SC4.5+0.4 pts
23Greenville, SC4.4+0.4 pts
24North Charleston, SC4.30 pts
25Simpsonville, SC4.1+1 pts
26Forest Acres, SC4.1-0 pts
27North Myrtle Beach, SC4-2.9 pts
28North Augusta, SC3.80 pts
29Beaufort, SC3.7-0.3 pts
30Moncks Corner, SC3.6-0.3 pts
31Charleston, SC3.4-0 pts
32Mount Pleasant, SC3.3+0.4 pts
33Easley, SC3.2-0.7 pts
34Hilton Head Island, SC3+0.6 pts
35Goose Creek, SC2.7-0.4 pts
36Hanahan, SC2.5+0.1 pts
37Greer, SC2.4+0.2 pts
38Fort Mill, SC2.30 pts
39Bluffton, SC2.2-0.1 pts
40Tega Cay, SC2.2+0.5 pts
40York, SC2.2-4.3 pts
42James Island, SC1.2-0.2 pts
43Port Royal, SC1-0.4 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities 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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in South Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in South Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in South Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in South Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_south_carolina_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in South Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in South Carolina by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which city has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Orangeburg, SC, with 11.8% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Port Royal, SC, with 1% in 2024.

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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in South Carolina: more rankings