Sumter, South Carolina Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Sumter rose 0.1 percentage points in May 2020 to 11.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.0 percentage points lower than the South Carolina rate. The unemployment rate in Sumter peaked in February 2010 at 12.7% and is now 1.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.9% in September 2019, the unemployment rate has now grown by 8.5 percentage points. You can also compare Sumter unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	May 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	13.3%	-1.4	+9.7
South Carolina	12.4%	-0.4	+9.3
Sumter	11.4%	+0.1	+7.8

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with May 2020 data as June metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Sumter, South Carolina, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Sumter, South Carolina Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Sumter peaked in June 2009 at 5,665. There are now 497 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,265 in November 2019, the number of unemployed has now grown by 3,903. Sumter employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Sumter, South Carolina) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	May 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
Sumter	5,168	+59	+3,601

Number of Unemployed Persons

Sumter, South Carolina Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	South Carolina Unemployment Rate	Sumter Unemployment Rate	Sumter Unemployed
July 2020	10.2%	—	—	—
June 2020	11.1%	8.7%	—	—
May 2020	13.3%	12.4%	11.4%	5,168
April 2020	14.7%	12.8%	11.3%	5,109
March 2020	4.4%	3.2%	3.3%	1,450
February 2020	3.5%	2.5%	3.1%	1,361
January 2020	3.6%	2.4%	3.0%	1,304
December 2019	3.5%	2.4%	2.9%	1,273
November 2019	3.5%	2.4%	2.9%	1,265
October 2019	3.6%	2.4%	2.9%	1,270
September 2019	3.5%	2.4%	2.9%	1,287
August 2019	3.7%	2.5%	3.0%	1,323