July 2025 | Released August 19, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In July, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 6, rose in 15, and remained unchanged in 30.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In July, payroll jobs rose in 31 states and fell in 20. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Wyoming.

South Carolina

Employment snapshot

• In July, South Carolina added 9,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent. In the prior month, South Carolina added 5,600 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, South Carolina added 79,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points from 4.5 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 73,000 in July, or 0 percent. South Carolina ranks 1st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In July, South Carolina’s private sector added 7,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 72,100 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, South Carolina added 5,100 net private payroll jobs.

• In July, employment in South Carolina rose by 4,968, and over the past 12 months it rose by 32,024.

• South Carolina’s labor force participation rate rose to 57.7 percent in July from 57.6 percent and ranks 49th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.5 percentage points.

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South Carolina

Payroll employment

• South Carolina added 9,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, South Carolina added 5,600 jobs. South Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in each of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 73,000 in July, or 0 percent. South Carolina ranks 1st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• South Carolina added 7,400 private sector jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, South Carolina added 5,100 jobs. South Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in each of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 83,000 jobs in July, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina ranks 1st in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From June 2025 to July 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+3,800) and Leisure and Hospitality (+2,200).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-800) and Construction (-600).

From July 2024 to July 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+21,700) and Private Education and Health Services (+16,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-400) and Mining and Logging (+100).

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 rose to 57.7 percent in July from 57.6 percent in the prior month.

• South Carolina ranks 49th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in South Carolina was 59.2 percent occurring in February 2016, and the 10-year low was 57.3 percent occurring in October 2022.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.2 percent in July.