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

Bamberg County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 46 counties in 2023, at 11.9%. Saluda County had the lowest, at 2.4%. The median was 5.5% and the figure for South Carolina was 5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest11.9Bamberg County
Lowest2.4Saluda County
Median5.546 counties
South Carolina5History

Map of counties, 2023

Abbeville County: 3.4 %Aiken County: 5.6 %Allendale County: 10.8 %Anderson County: 5.1 %Bamberg County: 11.9 %Barnwell County: 7.2 %Beaufort County: 3 %Berkeley County: 3.7 %Calhoun County: 7.3 %Charleston County: 3.6 %Cherokee County: 6.3 %Chester County: 6.5 %Chesterfield County: 8.1 %Clarendon County: 8.6 %Colleton County: 9.3 %Darlington County: 6.9 %Dillon County: 6.8 %Dorchester County: 4.7 %Edgefield County: 5.8 %Fairfield County: 5.5 %Florence County: 4.7 %Georgetown County: 5.2 %Greenville County: 4.3 %Greenwood County: 4.7 %Hampton County: 10 %Horry County: 5.2 %Jasper County: 5.1 %Kershaw County: 4.9 %Lancaster County: 5.5 %Laurens County: 4.6 %Lee County: 5.7 %Lexington County: 4.2 %McCormick County: 5.5 %Marion County: 5.9 %Marlboro County: 8.4 %Newberry County: 3.6 %Oconee County: 6.1 %Orangeburg County: 9.4 %Pickens County: 3.5 %Richland County: 6.6 %Saluda County: 2.4 %Spartanburg County: 4.3 %Sumter County: 7.3 %Union County: 7.7 %Williamsburg County: 4.9 %York County: 4.4 %
  • Under 4.2
  • 4.2 to 4.9
  • 4.9 to 5.5
  • 5.5 to 6.5
  • 6.5 to 7.9
  • 7.9 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2023

Bamberg County: 11.9 %Bamberg County11.9Allendale County: 10.8 %Allendale County10.8Hampton County: 10 %Hampton County10Orangeburg County: 9.4 %Orangeburg County9.4Colleton County: 9.3 %Colleton County9.3Clarendon County: 8.6 %Clarendon County8.6Marlboro County: 8.4 %Marlboro County8.4Chesterfield County: 8.1 %Chesterfield County8.1Union County: 7.7 %Union County7.7Sumter County: 7.3 %Sumter County7.3Calhoun County: 7.3 %Calhoun County7.3Barnwell County: 7.2 %Barnwell County7.2Darlington County: 6.9 %Darlington County6.9Dillon County: 6.8 %Dillon County6.8Richland County: 6.6 %Richland County6.6Chester County: 6.5 %Chester County6.5Cherokee County: 6.3 %Cherokee County6.3Oconee County: 6.1 %Oconee County6.1Marion County: 5.9 %Marion County5.9Edgefield County: 5.8 %Edgefield County5.8Lee County: 5.7 %Lee County5.7Aiken County: 5.6 %Aiken County5.6Fairfield County: 5.5 %Fairfield County5.5McCormick County: 5.5 %McCormick County5.5Lancaster County: 5.5 %Lancaster County5.5Horry County: 5.2 %Horry County5.2Georgetown County: 5.2 %Georgetown County5.2Jasper County: 5.1 %Jasper County5.1Anderson County: 5.1 %Anderson County5.1Williamsburg County: 4.9 %Williamsburg County4.9Kershaw County: 4.9 %Kershaw County4.9Greenwood County: 4.7 %Greenwood County4.7Florence County: 4.7 %Florence County4.7Dorchester County: 4.7 %Dorchester County4.7Laurens County: 4.6 %Laurens County4.6York County: 4.4 %York County4.4Spartanburg County: 4.3 %Spartanburg County4.3Greenville County: 4.3 %Greenville County4.3Lexington County: 4.2 %Lexington County4.2Berkeley County: 3.7 %Berkeley County3.7Newberry County: 3.6 %Newberry County3.6Charleston County: 3.6 %Charleston County3.6Pickens County: 3.5 %Pickens County3.5Abbeville County: 3.4 %Abbeville County3.4Beaufort County: 3 %Beaufort County3Saluda County: 2.4 %Saluda County2.4Bamberg County: 11.9 %Bamberg County11.9Allendale County: 10.8 %Allendale County10.8Hampton County: 10 %Hampton County10Orangeburg County: 9.4 %Orangeburg County9.4Colleton County: 9.3 %Colleton County9.3Clarendon County: 8.6 %Clarendon County8.6Marlboro County: 8.4 %Marlboro County8.4Chesterfield County: 8.1 %Chesterfield County8.1Union County: 7.7 %Union County7.7Sumter County: 7.3 %Sumter County7.3Calhoun County: 7.3 %Calhoun County7.3Barnwell County: 7.2 %Barnwell County7.2Darlington County: 6.9 %Darlington County6.9Dillon County: 6.8 %Dillon County6.8Richland County: 6.6 %Richland County6.6Chester County: 6.5 %Chester County6.5Cherokee County: 6.3 %Cherokee County6.3Oconee County: 6.1 %Oconee County6.1Marion County: 5.9 %Marion County5.9Edgefield County: 5.8 %Edgefield County5.8Lee County: 5.7 %Lee County5.7Aiken County: 5.6 %Aiken County5.6Fairfield County: 5.5 %Fairfield County5.5McCormick County: 5.5 %McCormick County5.5Lancaster County: 5.5 %Lancaster County5.5Horry County: 5.2 %Horry County5.2Georgetown County: 5.2 %Georgetown County5.2Jasper County: 5.1 %Jasper County5.1Anderson County: 5.1 %Anderson County5.1Williamsburg County: 4.9 %Williamsburg County4.9Kershaw County: 4.9 %Kershaw County4.9Greenwood County: 4.7 %Greenwood County4.7Florence County: 4.7 %Florence County4.7Dorchester County: 4.7 %Dorchester County4.7Laurens County: 4.6 %Laurens County4.6York County: 4.4 %York County4.4Spartanburg County: 4.3 %Spartanburg County4.3Greenville County: 4.3 %Greenville County4.3Lexington County: 4.2 %Lexington County4.2Berkeley County: 3.7 %Berkeley County3.7Newberry County: 3.6 %Newberry County3.6Charleston County: 3.6 %Charleston County3.6Pickens County: 3.5 %Pickens County3.5Abbeville County: 3.4 %Abbeville County3.4Beaufort County: 3 %Beaufort County3Saluda County: 2.4 %Saluda County2.4
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Bamberg County11.9+0.9 pts
2Allendale County10.8-2.7 pts
3Hampton County10-0.7 pts
4Orangeburg County9.4+0.1 pts
5Colleton County9.3+0.8 pts
6Clarendon County8.6-1.5 pts
7Marlboro County8.4+0.6 pts
8Chesterfield County8.1-0.6 pts
9Union County7.7-2.5 pts
10Sumter County7.3+0.1 pts
11Calhoun County7.3-0.1 pts
12Barnwell County7.2+1.3 pts
13Darlington County6.9+0.3 pts
14Dillon County6.8-0.4 pts
15Richland County6.6-0.2 pts
16Chester County6.5+0.3 pts
17Cherokee County6.3+0.4 pts
18Oconee County6.1+0.2 pts
19Marion County5.9-0.9 pts
20Edgefield County5.8-0.4 pts
21Lee County5.7-3.5 pts
22Aiken County5.6-0.5 pts
23Fairfield County5.5-1.4 pts
24McCormick County5.5-0.9 pts
25Lancaster County5.5+0.5 pts
26Horry County5.2-0.3 pts
27Georgetown County5.2+0.1 pts
28Jasper County5.1-1.2 pts
29Anderson County5.1-0.4 pts
30Williamsburg County4.9+0.4 pts
31Kershaw County4.9+0.2 pts
32Greenwood County4.7-0.7 pts
33Florence County4.7+0.2 pts
34Dorchester County4.7-0.8 pts
35Laurens County4.6-0.7 pts
36York County4.4-0.2 pts
37Spartanburg County4.3-0.4 pts
38Greenville County4.3+0.1 pts
39Lexington County4.2-0.2 pts
40Berkeley County3.7-0.1 pts
41Newberry County3.6-0.3 pts
42Charleston County3.6-0.1 pts
43Pickens County3.5-0.6 pts
44Abbeville County3.4+0.6 pts
45Beaufort County3-0.1 pts
46Saluda County2.4-1 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties?period=2023. 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), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties?period=2023.

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), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_south_carolina_2023,
  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), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/south-carolina-counties?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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 11.9% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Saluda County, with 2.4% in 2023.

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