Employment rose in all of South Carolina’s seven large counties from September 2022 to September 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2022.) Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that York County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 3.0 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in South Carolina, September 2023

County	Percent change, September 2023
York	3.0
Charleston	2.7
Horry	2.3
Spartanburg	1.8
Greenville	1.6
Lexington	1.4
Richland	0.8

National employment increased 1.5 percent over the year, with 309 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Hall, GA, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment (+5.4 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-7.3 percent).

Among the seven largest counties in South Carolina, employment was highest in Greenville County (292,400) in September 2023. Within Greenville County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the seven largest South Carolina counties accounted for 58.7 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 360 largest counties made up 72.9 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 39 counties in South Carolina with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all 39 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Three of South Carolina’s largest counties reported average weekly wage gains from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Richland County had the largest gain (+1.8 percent), followed by Greenville County (+1.1 percent) and Horry County (+0.2 percent). Over-the-year percentage decreases in average weekly wages among South Carolina’s other four largest counties ranged from -2.7 percent to -0.5 percent.  

  

View Chart Data

Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in South Carolina, third quarter 2023

County	Percent change, third quarter 2023
Richland	1.8
Greenville	1.1
Horry	0.2
Lexington	-0.5
Spartanburg	-1.8
Charleston	-2.2
York	-2.7

Nationwide, wages increased by 0.1 percent over the year. Among the 360 largest counties in the United States, 169 had over-the-year wage increases. Clayton, GA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+7.7 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-6.0 percent).

Average weekly wages in all seven of South Carolina’s largest counties were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. Average weekly wages in South Carolina’s largest counties ranged from $1,204 in Charleston County to $874 in Horry County.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 92 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the third quarter of 2023. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,288). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 268 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($793).

Among the 39 smaller counties in South Carolina—those with employment below 75,000—Berkeley ($1,194) reported the highest average weekly wage. Dillon County ($756) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 46 counties in South Carolina were considered, 16 reported average weekly wages of less than $900, 16 registered wages from $900 to $999, 6 had wages from $1,000 to $1,099, and 8 had average weekly wages of $1,100 or higher. (See map 1.)