Which counties in South Carolina have the lowest unemployment?
Charleston County (3.6%), Lexington County (3.8%) and Dorchester County (3.9%) had the lowest unemployment in South Carolina in 2025.
Data as of 2025 · updated
All 46 ranked South Carolina counties
| Rank | County | Rate 2025 | Change since 2019 | Residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston County | 3.6% | +1.4 pts | 436,200 |
| 2 | Lexington County | 3.8% | +1.4 pts | 317,588 |
| 3 | Dorchester County | 3.9% | +1.5 pts | 178,397 |
| 4 | Edgefield County | 3.9% | +1.3 pts | 29,808 |
| 5 | Greenville County | 3.9% | +1.6 pts | 583,125 |
| 6 | Saluda County | 3.9% | +1.4 pts | 19,680 |
| 7 | Berkeley County | 4.0% | +1.6 pts | 274,666 |
| 8 | Anderson County | 4.1% | +1.5 pts | 219,930 |
| 9 | Beaufort County | 4.2% | +1.8 pts | 204,433 |
| 10 | Oconee County | 4.2% | +1.5 pts | 83,775 |
| 11 | Aiken County | 4.3% | +1.5 pts | 181,515 |
| 12 | Pickens County | 4.3% | +1.7 pts | 139,198 |
| 13 | Hampton County | 4.4% | +1.6 pts | 18,174 |
| 14 | Jasper County | 4.4% | +1.9 pts | 38,533 |
| 15 | Kershaw County | 4.4% | +1.6 pts | 73,166 |
| 16 | Newberry County | 4.4% | +1.7 pts | 39,561 |
| 17 | York County | 4.5% | +1.8 pts | 306,887 |
| 18 | Calhoun County | 4.6% | +1.1 pts | 14,188 |
| 19 | Richland County | 4.6% | +1.9 pts | 434,956 |
| 20 | Spartanburg County | 4.6% | +2.1 pts | 380,857 |
| 21 | Lancaster County | 4.7% | +1.5 pts | 114,296 |
| 22 | Abbeville County | 4.8% | +1.5 pts | 24,836 |
| 23 | Florence County | 4.8% | +1.7 pts | 138,504 |
| 24 | Laurens County | 4.8% | +1.9 pts | 71,848 |
| 25 | Darlington County | 5.0% | +1.5 pts | 62,888 |
| 26 | Chesterfield County | 5.1% | +2.0 pts | 44,740 |
| 27 | Colleton County | 5.2% | +1.9 pts | 39,382 |
| 28 | Horry County | 5.2% | +1.8 pts | 427,551 |
| 29 | Fairfield County | 5.3% | +1.2 pts | 20,340 |
| 30 | McCormick County | 5.3% | +2.0 pts | 10,215 |
| 31 | Greenwood County | 5.4% | +2.2 pts | 70,379 |
| 32 | Sumter County | 5.4% | +2.1 pts | 105,067 |
| 33 | Georgetown County | 5.5% | +1.9 pts | 65,912 |
| 34 | Chester County | 5.7% | +1.8 pts | 33,001 |
| 35 | Barnwell County | 5.8% | +1.9 pts | 20,653 |
| 36 | Cherokee County | 5.8% | +2.8 pts | 58,275 |
| 37 | Bamberg County | 5.9% | +1.0 pts | 12,796 |
| 38 | Union County | 5.9% | +2.4 pts | 26,799 |
| 39 | Allendale County | 6.0% | +1.1 pts | 7,355 |
| 40 | Dillon County | 6.0% | +1.8 pts | 27,458 |
| 41 | Lee County | 6.0% | +1.6 pts | 15,730 |
| 42 | Clarendon County | 6.1% | +2.3 pts | 31,043 |
| 43 | Marion County | 6.2% | +1.6 pts | 28,242 |
| 44 | Orangeburg County | 6.4% | +1.9 pts | 83,177 |
| 45 | Marlboro County | 7.3% | +2.7 pts | 25,488 |
| 46 | Williamsburg County | 7.7% | +3.4 pts | 29,662 |
How this is ranked
The annual average unemployment rate for 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics). Lowest first. Counties with fewer than 1,000 residents, or without a figure for the same period as the others, are not ranked.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built. More on every layer: data sources and licences.
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Questions
Which county in South Carolina has the lowest unemployment rate?
Charleston County: 3.6%, ahead of Lexington County (3.8%) and Dorchester County (3.9%), of 46 South Carolina counties ranked.
How is this ranking calculated?
The annual average unemployment rate for 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics). Lowest first. Counties with fewer than 1,000 residents, or without a figure for the same period as the others, are not ranked.
More county rankings for South Carolina
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