Skip to content

Checked

Lee County, SC Economy

Unemployment was 6.3% in Aug 2026 and jobs paid $49,427 a year on average.

Unemployment rate
6.3%
+0.3 pts in a year
Labor force
6,167
+3.5% in a year
Income per person
$46,925
37th of 46 in SC
Average annual pay
$49,427
3,600 jobs, 2025

Unemployment rate in Lee County

Monthly. County rates are not seasonally adjusted, so they rise and fall with the seasons.

Lee CountySouth Carolina (seasonally adjusted)
Show as a table
PeriodLee County
Aug 20266.3%
Dec 20256.5%
Dec 20245.8%
Dec 20234.8%
Dec 20224.9%
Dec 20214.7%
Dec 20207.3%
Dec 20195.0%
Dec 20184.5%
Dec 20176.2%
Dec 20166.9%
Dec 20157.7%
Dec 20148.7%
Dec 20139.1%
Dec 201212.4%

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 Lee County, annual average 2025. Industries with too few employers to publish are left out.

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

IndustryJobs1-year changeAverage pay
Manufacturing462+6.9%$72,882
Retail trade435+3.3%$27,917
Accommodation and food services213-11.6%$17,707
Other services208-5.0%$36,937
Transportation and warehousing140-1.4%$59,510
Administrative and support services134-18.8%$56,939
Wholesale trade121+11.0%$59,346
Finance and insurance55+1.9%$56,997

Latest quarter (Q1 2026): 3,581 jobs (+0.6% from a year earlier), average weekly wage $997.

Income and output

Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

Total personal income
$749M
+5.4% in a year
Income per person
$46,925
SC: $60,776
GDP
$507M
Current dollars
Real GDP growth
+2.9%
Adjusted for inflation
Lee CountySouth Carolina
Show as a table
PeriodLee County
2024$46,925
2023$44,602
2022$43,051
2021$41,544
2020$37,471
2019$34,130
2018$31,736
2017$30,420
2016$29,894
2015$27,860
2014$26,665
2013$27,344
2012$26,199
2011$25,325
2010$24,129

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts

Businesses by industry, trucking companies, banks and bankruptcies in Lee County.

Business profile

Businesses in Lee County

County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024

Employer businesses
212
Employees
2,246
Mid-March
Annual payroll
$83.7M
Self-employed businesses
1,013
$32.47M receipts

By industry

  • Retail trade4521.2%
  • Other services3416.0%
  • Accommodation and food services188.5%
  • Health care and social assistance157.1%
  • Construction146.6%
  • Transportation and warehousing136.1%
  • Professional and technical services136.1%
  • Manufacturing125.7%

By number of employees

  • 1 to 412157.1%
  • 5 to 94018.9%
  • 10 to 192210.4%
  • 20 to 49209.4%
  • 50 to 9962.8%
  • 100 to 24931.4%
  • 250 to 49900.0%
  • 500 to 99900.0%
  • 1,000 or more00.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns and Nonemployer Statistics

Neighboring counties

Unemployment rate, Aug 2026

CountyRate1 year
Kershaw County4.4%-0.5 pts
Florence County4.7%-0.5 pts
Darlington County5.0%-0.6 pts
Sumter County5.4%-0.4 pts
Lee CountyThis county6.3%+0.3 pts

Federal money in Lee County

Federal awards, pandemic loans and political donations

Frequently asked questions

What is the unemployment rate in Lee County, SC?
The unemployment rate in Lee County was 6.3% in Aug 2026, not seasonally adjusted, with 6,167 people in the labor force.
What is the average salary in Lee County?
Jobs in Lee County paid an average of $49,427 in 2025 ($951 a week), across 3,600 jobs covered by unemployment insurance.
What are the biggest industries in Lee County?
The largest private industries by jobs are manufacturing (462), retail trade (435), accommodation and food services (213).
What is the income per person in Lee County?
Personal income per person was $46,925 in 2024, compared with $60,776 for South Carolina. It counts wages, business income, investment income and government benefits.
How many businesses are in Lee County?
Lee County had 212 business establishments with paid employees in 2023, plus 1,013 businesses with no employees.