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)

Orangeburg, SC had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 43 cities in 2022, at 12.5%. Tega Cay, SC had the lowest, at 1.3%. The median was 4.2% and the figure for South Carolina was 5.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest12.5Orangeburg, SC
Lowest1.3Tega Cay, SC
Median4.243 cities
South Carolina5.2History

All cities, 2022

Orangeburg, SC: 12.5 %Orangeburg, SC12.5Fountain Inn, SC: 9.6 %Fountain Inn, SC9.6Gaffney, SC: 9.4 %Gaffney, SC9.4Hardeeville, SC: 9 %Hardeeville, SC9Conway, SC: 8.8 %Conway, SC8.8York, SC: 8.2 %York, SC8.2Columbia, SC: 7.9 %Columbia, SC7.9Sumter, SC: 7.9 %Sumter, SC7.9Newberry, SC: 7.6 %Newberry, SC7.6Spartanburg, SC: 7.5 %Spartanburg, SC7.5Greenwood, SC: 7.3 %Greenwood, SC7.3Anderson, SC: 6.9 %Anderson, SC6.9North Myrtle Beach, SC: 6.4 %North Myrtle Beach, SC6.4Summerville, SC: 5.8 %Summerville, SC5.8Cayce, SC: 5.4 %Cayce, SC5.4Rock Hill, SC: 5.3 %Rock Hill, SC5.3Mauldin, SC: 5 %Mauldin, SC5Florence, SC: 4.8 %Florence, SC4.8Irmo, SC: 4.6 %Irmo, SC4.6Clemson, SC: 4.3 %Clemson, SC4.3North Charleston, SC: 4.3 %North Charleston, SC4.3Forest Acres, SC: 4.2 %Forest Acres, SC4.2Myrtle Beach, SC: 4.2 %Myrtle Beach, SC4.2Beaufort, SC: 4 %Beaufort, SC4Aiken, SC: 3.9 %Aiken, SC3.9Greenville, SC: 3.8 %Greenville, SC3.8Easley, SC: 3.8 %Easley, SC3.8North Augusta, SC: 3.8 %North Augusta, SC3.8Charleston, SC: 3.7 %Charleston, SC3.7Lexington, SC: 3.6 %Lexington, SC3.6Greer, SC: 3.5 %Greer, SC3.5Goose Creek, SC: 3.4 %Goose Creek, SC3.4Mount Pleasant, SC: 3.2 %Mount Pleasant, SC3.2West Columbia, SC: 2.9 %West Columbia, SC2.9Hilton Head Island, SC: 2.8 %Hilton Head Island, SC2.8Simpsonville, SC: 2.8 %Simpsonville, SC2.8Moncks Corner, SC: 2.4 %Moncks Corner, SC2.4Fort Mill, SC: 2.3 %Fort Mill, SC2.3Hanahan, SC: 2.1 %Hanahan, SC2.1James Island, SC: 1.7 %James Island, SC1.7Port Royal, SC: 1.6 %Port Royal, SC1.6Bluffton, SC: 1.4 %Bluffton, SC1.4Tega Cay, SC: 1.3 %Tega Cay, SC1.3Orangeburg, SC: 12.5 %Orangeburg, SC12.5Fountain Inn, SC: 9.6 %Fountain Inn, SC9.6Gaffney, SC: 9.4 %Gaffney, SC9.4Hardeeville, SC: 9 %Hardeeville, SC9Conway, SC: 8.8 %Conway, SC8.8York, SC: 8.2 %York, SC8.2Columbia, SC: 7.9 %Columbia, SC7.9Sumter, SC: 7.9 %Sumter, SC7.9Newberry, SC: 7.6 %Newberry, SC7.6Spartanburg, SC: 7.5 %Spartanburg, SC7.5Greenwood, SC: 7.3 %Greenwood, SC7.3Anderson, SC: 6.9 %Anderson, SC6.9North Myrtle Beach, SC: 6.4 %North Myrtle Beach, SC6.4Summerville, SC: 5.8 %Summerville, SC5.8Cayce, SC: 5.4 %Cayce, SC5.4Rock Hill, SC: 5.3 %Rock Hill, SC5.3Mauldin, SC: 5 %Mauldin, SC5Florence, SC: 4.8 %Florence, SC4.8Irmo, SC: 4.6 %Irmo, SC4.6Clemson, SC: 4.3 %Clemson, SC4.3North Charleston, SC: 4.3 %North Charleston, SC4.3Forest Acres, SC: 4.2 %Forest Acres, SC4.2Myrtle Beach, SC: 4.2 %Myrtle Beach, SC4.2Beaufort, SC: 4 %Beaufort, SC4Aiken, SC: 3.9 %Aiken, SC3.9Greenville, SC: 3.8 %Greenville, SC3.8Easley, SC: 3.8 %Easley, SC3.8North Augusta, SC: 3.8 %North Augusta, SC3.8Charleston, SC: 3.7 %Charleston, SC3.7Lexington, SC: 3.6 %Lexington, SC3.6Greer, SC: 3.5 %Greer, SC3.5Goose Creek, SC: 3.4 %Goose Creek, SC3.4Mount Pleasant, SC: 3.2 %Mount Pleasant, SC3.2West Columbia, SC: 2.9 %West Columbia, SC2.9Hilton Head Island, SC: 2.8 %Hilton Head Island, SC2.8Simpsonville, SC: 2.8 %Simpsonville, SC2.8Moncks Corner, SC: 2.4 %Moncks Corner, SC2.4Fort Mill, SC: 2.3 %Fort Mill, SC2.3Hanahan, SC: 2.1 %Hanahan, SC2.1James Island, SC: 1.7 %James Island, SC1.7Port Royal, SC: 1.6 %Port Royal, SC1.6Bluffton, SC: 1.4 %Bluffton, SC1.4Tega Cay, SC: 1.3 %Tega Cay, SC1.3
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Orangeburg, SC12.5-0.5 pts
2Fountain Inn, SC9.6+0.5 pts
3Gaffney, SC9.4-3 pts
4Hardeeville, SC9+2 pts
5Conway, SC8.8-1.8 pts
6York, SC8.2+0.4 pts
7Columbia, SC7.9+0.6 pts
8Sumter, SC7.9-2.2 pts
9Newberry, SC7.6-0.4 pts
10Spartanburg, SC7.5+0.8 pts
11Greenwood, SC7.3+0.1 pts
12Anderson, SC6.9-1 pts
13North Myrtle Beach, SC6.4-1.3 pts
14Summerville, SC5.8-0.8 pts
15Cayce, SC5.4-0.2 pts
16Rock Hill, SC5.3-0.5 pts
17Mauldin, SC5+0.3 pts
18Florence, SC4.8+0.5 pts
19Irmo, SC4.6-3.7 pts
20Clemson, SC4.3-0.1 pts
21North Charleston, SC4.3+0.1 pts
22Forest Acres, SC4.2+1 pts
23Myrtle Beach, SC4.2-1 pts
24Beaufort, SC4+0.1 pts
25Aiken, SC3.9-0.8 pts
26Greenville, SC3.8+0.4 pts
27Easley, SC3.8-0.5 pts
28North Augusta, SC3.8-0.2 pts
29Charleston, SC3.7+0.3 pts
30Lexington, SC3.6+0.2 pts
31Greer, SC3.5-0.4 pts
32Goose Creek, SC3.4-0.3 pts
33Mount Pleasant, SC3.2-0.1 pts
34West Columbia, SC2.9-0.7 pts
35Hilton Head Island, SC2.80 pts
35Simpsonville, SC2.8-0.2 pts
37Moncks Corner, SC2.4-0.1 pts
38Fort Mill, SC2.3-0.3 pts
39Hanahan, SC2.1-0.6 pts
40James Island, SC1.7+0.2 pts
41Port Royal, SC1.6-0.2 pts
42Bluffton, SC1.4-0.3 pts
43Tega Cay, SC1.3-0.8 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/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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), 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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), 2022. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities?period=2022. 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), 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities?period=2022.

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), 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_south_carolina_2022,
  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), 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities?period=2022. 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/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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), 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-cities?period=2022.
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/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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 12.5% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Tega Cay, SC, with 1.3% in 2022.

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