Department of Numbers

Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, South Carolina Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Hilton Head Island fell 0.0 percentage points in January 2023 to 2.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points lower than the South Carolina rate. The unemployment rate in Hilton Head Island peaked in April 2020 at 11.3% and is now 8.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.9% in August 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Hilton Head Island unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
South Carolina 3.2% -0.1 -0.1
Hilton Head Island 2.9% 0.0 -0.1
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, National

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Hilton Head Island peaked in April 2020 at 9,424. There are now 6,801 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 2,595 in September 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 28.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Hilton Head Island 2,623 +2 -93

Number of Unemployed Persons

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
South Carolina
Unemployment Rate
Hilton Head Island
Unemployment Rate
Hilton Head Island
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 3.2% 2.9% 2,623
December
2022
3.5% 3.3% 2.9% 2,621
November
2022
3.6% 3.3% 2.9% 2,621
October
2022
3.7% 3.3% 3.0% 2,677
September
2022
3.5% 3.3% 2.9% 2,595
August
2022
3.7% 3.3% 2.9% 2,601
July
2022
3.5% 3.2% 3.0% 2,669
June
2022
3.6% 3.2% 3.0% 2,766
May
2022
3.6% 3.2% 3.1% 2,808
April
2022
3.6% 3.2% 3.1% 2,815
March
2022
3.6% 3.2% 3.1% 2,855

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.