How many jobs were lost in South Carolina last month?
Updated Apr. 14, 2026Refreshed annually
South Carolina gained 5,400 jobs in January 2026, ranking it 18th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 4,700 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+5.4K
month to month change in number of jobs (January 2026)
18th
rank among states in monthly job growth (January 2026)
January 2026's gain of 5,400 jobs was the 4th consecutive month of positive job growth in South Carolina. Monthly job growth was up from the 2,000 new jobs in December 2025.
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), South Carolina gained jobs in 52 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the 25th-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+20,600) while job growth was weakest in July 2024 (-5,600).
There were 5,400 more jobs in January 2026 in South Carolina than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, February 2021–January 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which South Carolina sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in January 2026?
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), South Carolina gained jobs in 52 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the 25th-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+20,600) while job growth was weakest in July 2024 (-5,600).
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in January 2026 were state government, retail trade, and accommodation and food services. State government added 1,400 jobs. Retail trade gained 1,200 jobs, while accommodation and food services added 1,100. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The retail trade sector gained 1,200 jobs during January 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in South Carolina (January 2026)
How does South Carolina's job growth in 2025 compare to previous years?
In 2025, the state has gained an average of 2,800 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 4,300, and the smallest since 2024. The 2025 average ranks as 12th-highest in job growth since 2006.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 7,700 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 6,300 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, South Carolina gained an average of 2,800 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among eight metro areas at least partially in South Carolina during January 2026 ranged from a loss of 100 jobs in the Columbia, SC area to a gain of 2,500 jobs in the Greenville, SC area metro area.
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
