May 2025 | Released June 24, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 14, and remained unchanged in 24.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in May.

• In May, payroll jobs rose in 37 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Montana. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.4 percent in Connecticut.

South Carolina Employment Snapshot

• In May, South Carolina added 5,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent. In the prior month, South Carolina added 6,700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, South Carolina added 62,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from 4.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 139,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina ranks 1st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In May, South Carolina’s private sector added 3,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 55,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, South Carolina added 6,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In May, employment in South Carolina rose by 5,160, and over the past 12 months it rose by 25,136.

• South Carolina’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 57.5 percent in May and ranks 49th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.6 percentage points.

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South Carolina Payroll Employment

• South Carolina added 5,400 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, South Carolina added 6,700 jobs. South Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 139,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina ranks 1st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• South Carolina added 3,400 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, South Carolina added 6,200 jobs. South Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 140,000 jobs in May, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during May were Government (2,000) and Education and Health Services (1,600).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Mining and Logging tied with Other Services (0) and Manufacturing tied with Leisure and Hospitality (-100).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Professional and Business Services (14,500) and Education and Health Services (13,500).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Mining and Logging (200) and Manufacturing (-900).

South Carolina Labor Force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in South Carolina remained unchanged at 57.5 percent in May.

• South Carolina ranks 49th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in South Carolina was 59.4 percent in May 2015, and the 10-year low was 57.3 percent occurring in October 2022.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.4 percent in May.