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Berkeley County, SC Economy
Unemployment was 3.9% in Aug 2026 and jobs paid $70,179 a year on average.
- Unemployment rate
- 3.9%
- -0.5 pts in a year
- Labor force
- 138,189
- +3.2% in a year
- Income per person
- $58,397
- 11th of 46 in SC
- Average annual pay
- $70,179
- 70,252 jobs, 2025
Unemployment rate in Berkeley County
Monthly. County rates are not seasonally adjusted, so they rise and fall with the seasons.
Show as a table
| Period | Berkeley County |
|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | 3.9% |
| Dec 2025 | 4.3% |
| Dec 2024 | 3.5% |
| Dec 2023 | 2.8% |
| Dec 2022 | 2.6% |
| Dec 2021 | 2.7% |
| Dec 2020 | 4.4% |
| Dec 2019 | 2.2% |
| Dec 2018 | 2.7% |
| Dec 2017 | 3.5% |
| Dec 2016 | 3.9% |
| Dec 2015 | 4.9% |
| Dec 2014 | 5.9% |
| Dec 2013 | 5.6% |
| Dec 2012 | 7.7% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics ยท Last updated 09/01/2026
Jobs and pay by industry
Private employers in Berkeley County, annual average 2025. Industries with too few employers to publish are left out.
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Industry | Jobs | 1-year change | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 9,888 | -5.9% | $92,007 |
| Retail trade | 9,253 | +11.5% | $37,681 |
| Professional and technical services | 6,504 | +6.2% | $109,978 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,346 | +2.7% | $24,675 |
| Health care and social assistance | 5,190 | +12.3% | $58,932 |
| Construction | 5,012 | +19.3% | $86,562 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,925 | +2.2% | $59,683 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,593 | +11.1% | $78,167 |
| Administrative and support services | 2,423 | +1.8% | $43,676 |
| Other services | 2,077 | +3.4% | $55,427 |
| Information | 1,970 | +11.6% | $156,013 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,594 | +5.5% | $102,309 |
| Real estate and rental | 964 | +6.9% | $77,156 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 932 | +0.3% | $37,256 |
| Utilities | 421 | -0.9% | $107,319 |
| Management of companies | 401 | +13.9% | $142,613 |
| Educational services | 399 | -19.7% | $32,343 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 147 | 0.0% | $79,921 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 53 | 0.0% | $84,784 |
Latest quarter (Q1 2026): 71,182 jobs (+1.9% from a year earlier), average weekly wage $1,434.
Income and output
Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024
- Total personal income
- $15.43B
- +9.1% in a year
- Income per person
- $58,397
- SC: $60,776
- GDP
- $14.3B
- Current dollars
- Real GDP growth
- +8.6%
- Adjusted for inflation
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| Period | Berkeley County |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $58,397 |
| 2023 | $55,241 |
| 2022 | $51,606 |
| 2021 | $50,288 |
| 2020 | $45,395 |
| 2019 | $43,270 |
| 2018 | $41,301 |
| 2017 | $39,697 |
| 2016 | $37,938 |
| 2015 | $36,331 |
| 2014 | $34,841 |
| 2013 | $33,208 |
| 2012 | $33,065 |
| 2011 | $32,517 |
| 2010 | $30,404 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts
Businesses by industry, trucking companies, banks and bankruptcies in Berkeley County.
Business profileBusinesses in Berkeley County
County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024
- Employer businesses
- 4,230
- Employees
- 61,856
- Mid-March
- Annual payroll
- $3.85B
- Self-employed businesses
- 23,174
- $1.2B receipts
By industry
- Construction55413.1%
- Retail trade52912.5%
- Professional and technical services45010.6%
- Other services4089.6%
- Health care and social assistance3919.2%
- Accommodation and food services3608.5%
- Real estate and rental2947.0%
- Administrative and support services2536.0%
By number of employees
- 1 to 42,35155.6%
- 5 to 970216.6%
- 10 to 1955213.1%
- 20 to 494199.9%
- 50 to 991062.5%
- 100 to 249751.8%
- 250 to 499170.4%
- 500 to 99960.1%
- 1,000 or more00.0%
Neighboring counties
Unemployment rate, Aug 2026
| County | Rate | 1 year |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston County | 3.5% | -0.5 pts |
| Berkeley CountyThis county | 3.9% | -0.5 pts |
| Dorchester County | 3.9% | -0.4 pts |
| Georgetown County | 5.0% | -0.8 pts |
| Clarendon County | 5.5% | -1.3 pts |
| Orangeburg County | 5.7% | -1.1 pts |
| Williamsburg County | 7.1% | -1.4 pts |
Federal money in Berkeley County
Federal awards, pandemic loans and political donations
Frequently asked questions
- What is the unemployment rate in Berkeley County, SC?
- The unemployment rate in Berkeley County was 3.9% in Aug 2026, not seasonally adjusted, with 138,189 people in the labor force.
- What is the average salary in Berkeley County?
- Jobs in Berkeley County paid an average of $70,179 in 2025 ($1,350 a week), across 70,252 jobs covered by unemployment insurance.
- What are the biggest industries in Berkeley County?
- The largest private industries by jobs are manufacturing (9,888), retail trade (9,253), professional and technical services (6,504).
- What is the income per person in Berkeley County?
- Personal income per person was $58,397 in 2024, compared with $60,776 for South Carolina. It counts wages, business income, investment income and government benefits.
- How many businesses are in Berkeley County?
- Berkeley County had 4,230 business establishments with paid employees in 2023, plus 23,174 businesses with no employees.