South Carolina’s unemployment rate remained steady in May

Listen to this article

South Carolina’s unemployment rate remained steady in May at 3.1%, according to data released June 16 by the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.

During May, the estimate of unemployed people in the state decreased to 75,629, a decrease of 13 people from April’s estimate and an increase of 496 from the May 2022 estimate, according to the DEW report.

The seasonally adjusted monthly survey estimated the number of South Carolinians working increased to 2,344,922, a significant increase of 14,295 people over the April 2023 estimate. That is an increase of 38,835 people over the May 2022 estimate.

South Carolina’s estimated labor force, which includes people working plus those looking for work, increased to 2,420,551, a significant increase of 14,282 people over April’s estimate, according to the report. This is also an increase of 39,331 people over the May 2022 estimate.

During May, there was an estimated increase of 8,600 nonfarm payroll jobs over the month to a level of 2,300,600. Industries that reported gains were leisure and hospitality, education and health services, financial activities, professional and business services, trade, transportation and utilities, construction, information and other services. Government and manufacturing industries declined in May.

From May 2022 to May 2023, South Carolina’s economy has picked up 63,200 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs, according to the report. Industries with strong growth over the year were leisure and hospitality, education and health services, trade, transportation and utilities, professional and business services, government, financial activities, information, construction, other services and manufacturing.