Columbia, South Carolina Unemployment
The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Columbia rose 0.1 percentage points in November 2023 to 2.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points lower than the South Carolina rate. The unemployment rate in Columbia peaked in November 2009 at 9.9% and is now 7.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.1% in September 2019, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.7 percentage points. You can also compare Columbia unemployment with unemployment in other cities.
| Unemployment Rate | November 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | 3.7% | -0.1 | +0.1 |
| South Carolina | 3.0% | +0.1 | -0.3 |
| Columbia | 2.8% | +0.1 | -0.2 |
Unemployment Rate: Columbia, South Carolina, National
Note: Recessions shown in gray.
Columbia, South Carolina Unemployed
The number of people unemployed in Columbia peaked in December 2009 at 36,526. There are now 25,080 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 8,399 in September 2019, the number of unemployed has now grown by 3,047. Columbia employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Columbia, South Carolina) is also available.
| Unemployed Persons | November 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | 11,446 | +251 | -518 |
Number of Unemployed Persons
Columbia, South Carolina Unemployment History
| Date | National Unemployment Rate |
South Carolina Unemployment Rate |
Columbia Unemployment Rate |
Columbia Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2023 |
3.7% | — | — | — |
| November 2023 |
3.7% | 3.0% | 2.8% | 11,446 |
| October 2023 |
3.8% | 2.9% | 2.7% | 11,195 |
| September 2023 |
3.8% | 2.9% | 2.7% | 11,105 |
| August 2023 |
3.8% | 3.0% | 2.8% | 11,437 |
| July 2023 |
3.5% | 3.1% | 3.0% | 12,441 |
| June 2023 |
3.6% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 12,477 |
| May 2023 |
3.7% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 12,518 |
| April 2023 |
3.4% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 12,578 |
| March 2023 |
3.5% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 12,658 |
| February 2023 |
3.6% | 3.2% | 3.1% | 12,352 |
| January 2023 |
3.4% | 3.2% | 3.0% | 12,004 |
1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers. ↩
Department of Numbers
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