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Economy & jobs Statistics · Region

Labour force in South Carolina

1976 – 2025 · 50 data points 15 of 20 · Regions of United States Updated Nov 12, 2026

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1976 – 2025

Labour force, 1976 – 2025 people
+16% since 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1976 – 2025

The series at a glance South Carolina · 1976 – 2025
Latest value 2,608,887 · 2025
First value 1,298,668 · 1976
Highest 2,608,887 · 2025
Lowest 1,298,668 · 1976
Average change +1.4% a year on average
Data points 50

By year

All years · 1976 – 2025

YearSouth CarolinaChange
2025 2,608,887 +1.8%
2024 2,562,615 +2.7%
2023 2,495,157 +3.0%
2022 2,422,347 +2.1%
2021 2,372,318 +1.3%
2020 2,341,703 +0.6%
2019 2,328,087 +2.0%
2018 2,283,363 +0.9%
2017 2,262,949 +0.3%
2016 2,255,783 +0.7%
2015 2,241,067 +1.8%
2014 2,201,844 +0.9%
2013 2,181,555 +0.2%
2012 2,176,794 +0.1%
2011 2,173,678 +0.2%
2010 2,170,408 −0.3%
2009 2,176,789 +0.1%
2008 2,175,274 +0.4%
2007 2,167,128 +0.6%
2006 2,153,884 +3.9%
2005 2,073,749 +1.5%
2004 2,043,898 +2.4%
2003 1,996,734 +2.3%
2002 1,952,296 +0.4%
2001 1,943,755 −1.2%
2000 1,966,970 +0.5%
1999 1,957,132 +0.9%
1998 1,939,577 +1.1%
1997 1,919,215 +1.8%
1996 1,884,580 +1.1%
1995 1,864,109 +1.3%
1994 1,840,083 +0.8%
1993 1,825,100 +1.6%
1992 1,796,665 +1.9%
1991 1,762,572 +1.7%
1990 1,732,623 +2.0%
1989 1,698,019 +2.0%
1988 1,664,039 +1.8%
1987 1,633,928 +2.6%
1986 1,592,444 +2.8%
1985 1,548,432 +3.5%
1984 1,495,372 +1.2%
1983 1,478,129 −0.2%
1982 1,481,395 +3.5%
1981 1,431,228 +2.7%
1980 1,394,098 +1.4%
1979 1,374,740 +1.3%
1978 1,357,715 +2.3%
1977 1,326,585 +2.1%
1976 1,298,668

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1976 – 2025

Ranking · Regions of United States

2020 · Place 1 is the highest value.

#TerritoryLabour force
1 California 19M
2 Texas 14M
3 Florida 10M
4 New York 9.6M
5 Illinois 6.3M
6 Ohio 5.7M
7 Michigan 4.9M
8 New Jersey 4.6M
9 Washington 3.9M
10 Arizona 3.5M
11 Indiana 3.3M
12 Tennessee 3.3M
13 Wisconsin 3.1M
14 Missouri 3M
15 South Carolina 2.3M
16 Kentucky 2M
17 Oklahoma 1.8M
18 Utah 1.6M
19 Arkansas 1.3M
20 Idaho 902K

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2020

What it means

Residents who work or are looking for work.

How it is calculated

Employed plus unemployed residents, annual average.