North Charleston's unemployment rate fell to 3.1% in September from 3.8% a year earlier, and 2,731 more residents held jobs, preliminary federal figures show.
North Charleston’s unemployment rate fell to 3.1% in September. That is down from 3.8% in September 2025 and from 3.7% in August.
The figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics for the city. The September number is preliminary and can be revised next month.
More people were working, not just fewer looking. The city’s labor force grew by 2,342 over the year, and the number of employed residents grew by 2,731.
The numbers for North Charleston
| September 2025 | September 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.1% | down 0.7 points |
| Residents unemployed | 2,558 | 2,169 | down 389 |
| Residents employed | 64,511 | 67,242 | up 2,731 |
| Labor force | 67,069 | 69,411 | up 2,342 |
Source: BLS series for North Charleston’s unemployed, employed and labor force. The figures count where people live, not where they work. A resident who commutes to a job in Charleston or Summerville counts here.
A year of ups and downs
The rate is not seasonally adjusted, so it swings with the calendar. It peaked at 4.7% in January, when holiday and seasonal jobs end. It fell to 3.0% in April, rose to 3.8% in June and has eased since.
That is why the fairest comparison is the same month a year earlier. On that measure, September was better by 0.7 points.
There is no October 2025 figure. The BLS marks that month “data unavailable due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations,” the federal government shutdown.
How North Charleston compares
North Charleston sits in three counties. All three, and the state, improved over the year, according to the BLS county series:
| Area | September 2025 | September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| North Charleston | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Charleston County | 3.7% | 3.0% |
| Berkeley County | 4.1% | 3.3% |
| Dorchester County | 4.0% | 3.3% |
| South Carolina | 4.5% | 3.7% |
All five figures are not seasonally adjusted, so they compare like with like. Sources: the BLS series for Berkeley County, Dorchester County and South Carolina.
Charleston County had 7,405 residents out of work in September, down from 8,803 a year earlier. Its 3.0% rate is below September 2024 (3.4%) but above September 2023 (2.3%), BLS records show.
What it means for you
- If you are looking for work, the local market is tighter than a year ago: fewer residents are competing for jobs. SC Works runs free job search help and training referrals for Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties.
- If you are hiring, the pool of unemployed residents in the city is down to about 2,200.
- If you lost a job, apply for unemployment benefits through the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.
- For the wider picture, see our pages on home prices and new businesses in North Charleston.
The September numbers are preliminary. We will update this page if the BLS revises them.
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