Charleston County, South Carolina Employment Sector Statistics (2024)
Workforce distribution by employment sector for Charleston County, South Carolina
Employment Indicators for Charleston County, South Carolina (2024)
Total Employed
218,087
Civilian 16+
Private For-Profit
69.3 %
Largest Sector
Self-Employed
7.6%
Entrepreneurship
Government
16.1%
Public Sector
Charleston County, South Carolina Workforce by Sector & Gender

Charleston County, South Carolina Employment Sector Breakdown
| Sector | Total Workers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 151,058 | 69.3% |
| Government | 35,020 | 16.1% |
| Self-Employed | 16,591 | 7.6% |
| Private Non-Profit | 14,972 | 6.9% |
Charleston County, South Carolina Gender Ratio Analysis by Employment Sector (2024)
| Sector | Male:Female Ratio |
|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1.17:1 |
| Government | 0.71:1 |
| Self-Employed | 1.38:1 |
Charleston County, South Carolina Employment Trends (2010–2024)

Charleston County, South Carolina Historical Employment Sector Trends
| Year | Private | Gov | Self-Emp | Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 69.3% | 16.1% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| 2023 | 69.8% | 16.2% | 7.1% | 6.7% |
| 2022 | 70.0% | 16.5% | 6.9% | 6.3% |
| 2021 | 71.2% | 15.9% | 6.6% | 6.1% |
| 2020 | 70.9% | 16.1% | 6.7% | 6.1% |
| 2019 | 71.6% | 15.7% | 6.1% | 6.4% |
| 2018 | 71.1% | 15.9% | 6.4% | 6.4% |
| 2017 | 71.0% | 16.3% | 6.2% | 6.3% |
| 2016 | 70.5% | 17.1% | 6.2% | 6.1% |
| 2015 | 70.0% | 17.7% | 6.0% | 6.1% |
| 2014 | 70.2% | 17.7% | 6.1% | 5.9% |
| 2013 | 70.2% | 17.8% | 6.1% | 5.8% |
| 2012 | 69.9% | 17.7% | 6.3% | 5.9% |
| 2011 | 69.8% | 18.1% | 6.3% | 5.7% |
| 2010 | 70.0% | 18.0% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
Employment Sector FAQs for Charleston County, South Carolina
The largest employment sector in Charleston County, South Carolina is Private For-Profit, which employs 69.3% of the local workforce.
There are approximately 218,087 civilian workers aged 16 and over currently employed in Charleston County, South Carolina.
In the private for-profit sector, the male-to-female ratio is 1.17:1. This metric helps highlight gender participation across the most prominent industry classes.
Since 2010, the total number of workers in Charleston County, South Carolina has shown an increase, moving from 167,379 to 218,087 according to Census Bureau records.