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

Bamberg County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 46 counties in 2024, at 15%. Beaufort County had the lowest, at 2.6%. The median was 5.5% and the figure for South Carolina was 4.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Median5.546 counties
South Carolina4.9History

Map of counties, 2024

Abbeville County: 4 %Aiken County: 6.1 %Allendale County: 8.5 %Anderson County: 5.3 %Bamberg County: 15 %Barnwell County: 7.1 %Beaufort County: 2.6 %Berkeley County: 3.2 %Calhoun County: 5.9 %Charleston County: 3.5 %Cherokee County: 6.3 %Chester County: 5.6 %Chesterfield County: 7.5 %Clarendon County: 6.9 %Colleton County: 9.9 %Darlington County: 6.7 %Dillon County: 9 %Dorchester County: 4.9 %Edgefield County: 4.8 %Fairfield County: 5.5 %Florence County: 5.6 %Georgetown County: 4.4 %Greenville County: 4.4 %Greenwood County: 5.5 %Hampton County: 9.5 %Horry County: 4.9 %Jasper County: 4.6 %Kershaw County: 4.8 %Lancaster County: 4.3 %Laurens County: 4.5 %Lee County: 6.7 %Lexington County: 4.5 %McCormick County: 4.4 %Marion County: 7.2 %Marlboro County: 9.9 %Newberry County: 4.5 %Oconee County: 5.9 %Orangeburg County: 8.3 %Pickens County: 3.6 %Richland County: 6.5 %Saluda County: 3.2 %Spartanburg County: 4.3 %Sumter County: 6.9 %Union County: 7.9 %Williamsburg County: 4 %York County: 4.2 %
  • Under 4.2
  • 4.2 to 4.5
  • 4.5 to 5.5
  • 5.5 to 6.5
  • 6.5 to 7.7
  • 7.7 and over
%, 2024. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2024

Bamberg County: 15 %Bamberg County15Marlboro County: 9.9 %Marlboro County9.9Colleton County: 9.9 %Colleton County9.9Hampton County: 9.5 %Hampton County9.5Dillon County: 9 %Dillon County9Allendale County: 8.5 %Allendale County8.5Orangeburg County: 8.3 %Orangeburg County8.3Union County: 7.9 %Union County7.9Chesterfield County: 7.5 %Chesterfield County7.5Marion County: 7.2 %Marion County7.2Barnwell County: 7.1 %Barnwell County7.1Sumter County: 6.9 %Sumter County6.9Clarendon County: 6.9 %Clarendon County6.9Lee County: 6.7 %Lee County6.7Darlington County: 6.7 %Darlington County6.7Richland County: 6.5 %Richland County6.5Cherokee County: 6.3 %Cherokee County6.3Aiken County: 6.1 %Aiken County6.1Oconee County: 5.9 %Oconee County5.9Calhoun County: 5.9 %Calhoun County5.9Florence County: 5.6 %Florence County5.6Chester County: 5.6 %Chester County5.6Greenwood County: 5.5 %Greenwood County5.5Fairfield County: 5.5 %Fairfield County5.5Anderson County: 5.3 %Anderson County5.3Dorchester County: 4.9 %Dorchester County4.9Horry County: 4.9 %Horry County4.9Edgefield County: 4.8 %Edgefield County4.8Kershaw County: 4.8 %Kershaw County4.8Jasper County: 4.6 %Jasper County4.6Laurens County: 4.5 %Laurens County4.5Lexington County: 4.5 %Lexington County4.5Newberry County: 4.5 %Newberry County4.5Georgetown County: 4.4 %Georgetown County4.4Greenville County: 4.4 %Greenville County4.4McCormick County: 4.4 %McCormick County4.4Spartanburg County: 4.3 %Spartanburg County4.3Lancaster County: 4.3 %Lancaster County4.3York County: 4.2 %York County4.2Abbeville County: 4 %Abbeville County4Williamsburg County: 4 %Williamsburg County4Pickens County: 3.6 %Pickens County3.6Charleston County: 3.5 %Charleston County3.5Saluda County: 3.2 %Saluda County3.2Berkeley County: 3.2 %Berkeley County3.2Beaufort County: 2.6 %Beaufort County2.6Bamberg County: 15 %Bamberg County15Marlboro County: 9.9 %Marlboro County9.9Colleton County: 9.9 %Colleton County9.9Hampton County: 9.5 %Hampton County9.5Dillon County: 9 %Dillon County9Allendale County: 8.5 %Allendale County8.5Orangeburg County: 8.3 %Orangeburg County8.3Union County: 7.9 %Union County7.9Chesterfield County: 7.5 %Chesterfield County7.5Marion County: 7.2 %Marion County7.2Barnwell County: 7.1 %Barnwell County7.1Sumter County: 6.9 %Sumter County6.9Clarendon County: 6.9 %Clarendon County6.9Lee County: 6.7 %Lee County6.7Darlington County: 6.7 %Darlington County6.7Richland County: 6.5 %Richland County6.5Cherokee County: 6.3 %Cherokee County6.3Aiken County: 6.1 %Aiken County6.1Oconee County: 5.9 %Oconee County5.9Calhoun County: 5.9 %Calhoun County5.9Florence County: 5.6 %Florence County5.6Chester County: 5.6 %Chester County5.6Greenwood County: 5.5 %Greenwood County5.5Fairfield County: 5.5 %Fairfield County5.5Anderson County: 5.3 %Anderson County5.3Dorchester County: 4.9 %Dorchester County4.9Horry County: 4.9 %Horry County4.9Edgefield County: 4.8 %Edgefield County4.8Kershaw County: 4.8 %Kershaw County4.8Jasper County: 4.6 %Jasper County4.6Laurens County: 4.5 %Laurens County4.5Lexington County: 4.5 %Lexington County4.5Newberry County: 4.5 %Newberry County4.5Georgetown County: 4.4 %Georgetown County4.4Greenville County: 4.4 %Greenville County4.4McCormick County: 4.4 %McCormick County4.4Spartanburg County: 4.3 %Spartanburg County4.3Lancaster County: 4.3 %Lancaster County4.3York County: 4.2 %York County4.2Abbeville County: 4 %Abbeville County4Williamsburg County: 4 %Williamsburg County4Pickens County: 3.6 %Pickens County3.6Charleston County: 3.5 %Charleston County3.5Saluda County: 3.2 %Saluda County3.2Berkeley County: 3.2 %Berkeley County3.2Beaufort County: 2.6 %Beaufort County2.6
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Bamberg County15+3.1 pts
2Marlboro County9.9+1.6 pts
3Colleton County9.9+0.5 pts
4Hampton County9.5-0.5 pts
5Dillon County9+2.1 pts
6Allendale County8.5-2.3 pts
7Orangeburg County8.3-1 pts
8Union County7.9+0.3 pts
9Chesterfield County7.5-0.6 pts
10Marion County7.2+1.4 pts
11Barnwell County7.1-0.2 pts
12Sumter County6.9-0.5 pts
13Clarendon County6.9-1.8 pts
14Lee County6.7+1 pts
15Darlington County6.7-0.2 pts
16Richland County6.5-0.1 pts
17Cherokee County6.3-0 pts
18Aiken County6.1+0.5 pts
19Oconee County5.9-0.2 pts
20Calhoun County5.9-1.4 pts
21Florence County5.6+0.9 pts
22Chester County5.6-0.9 pts
23Greenwood County5.5+0.8 pts
24Fairfield County5.5-0.1 pts
25Anderson County5.3+0.2 pts
26Dorchester County4.9+0.3 pts
27Horry County4.9-0.3 pts
28Edgefield County4.8-1 pts
29Kershaw County4.8-0.2 pts
30Jasper County4.6-0.5 pts
31Laurens County4.5-0.1 pts
32Lexington County4.5+0.3 pts
33Newberry County4.5+0.8 pts
34Georgetown County4.4-0.8 pts
35Greenville County4.4+0.1 pts
35McCormick County4.4-1.2 pts
37Spartanburg County4.30 pts
38Lancaster County4.3-1.2 pts
39York County4.2-0.3 pts
40Abbeville County4+0.6 pts
41Williamsburg County4-1 pts
42Pickens County3.6+0.1 pts
43Charleston County3.5-0.1 pts
44Saluda County3.2+0.9 pts
45Berkeley County3.2-0.5 pts
46Beaufort County2.6-0.3 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 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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. 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 (Counties 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, Counties 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-counties. 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. Counties 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-counties.

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, Counties 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-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_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: Counties 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-counties. 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. 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: Counties 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-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties.
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. 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 county has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Bamberg County, with 15% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Beaufort County, with 2.6% 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. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Counties in South Carolina: more rankings