NextChapter

Counties where unemployment fell the most in the Southeast

Orangeburg County saw the biggest improvement in the Southeast: its unemployment rate changed −1.6 points over the year, against −0.1 points for the typical large county.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census data.

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Key facts

  • #1 Orangeburg County, SC: −1.6 points
  • #2 Rowan County, NC: −1.2 points
  • #3 Laurens County, SC: −1.2 points
  • 100 counties ranked in the Southeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: −0.1 points across the typical large county.

  1. 1Orangeburg County SC−1.6 points
  2. 2Rowan County NC−1.2 points
  3. 3Laurens County SC−1.2 points
  4. 4Georgetown County SC−1.2 points
  5. 5Miami-Dade County FL−1.0 points
  6. 6Buncombe County NC−1.0 points
  7. 7Beaufort County SC−1.0 points
  8. 8Lancaster County SC−1.0 points
  9. 9Robeson County NC−1.0 points
  10. 10Greenwood County SC−1.0 points

What stands out

  • Miami-Dade County is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,452,691 people in the labor force behind its figure.
  • Counties with fewer than 20,000 people in the labor force are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

A county where unemployment is falling fastest is a labor market that is improving, whatever its starting point.

How to use it

Look at these counties when you want a market moving in the right direction. Compare with the lowest-unemployment list to see where improvement and a tight market overlap.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Orangeburg County SC

    −1.6 points

    Unemployment now
    4.8%
    A year ago
    6.4%
    People in the labor force
    35,532

    Based on 35,532 people in the labor force.

    Orangeburg County job market

  2. 2

    Rowan County NC

    −1.2 points

    Unemployment now
    3.1%
    A year ago
    4.3%
    People in the labor force
    70,271

    Based on 70,271 people in the labor force.

    Rowan County job market

  3. 3

    Laurens County SC

    −1.2 points

    Unemployment now
    3.6%
    A year ago
    4.8%
    People in the labor force
    33,345

    Based on 33,345 people in the labor force.

    Laurens County job market

  4. 4

    Georgetown County SC

    −1.2 points

    Unemployment now
    4.4%
    A year ago
    5.6%
    People in the labor force
    28,071

    Based on 28,071 people in the labor force.

    Georgetown County job market

  5. 5

    Miami-Dade County FL

    −1.0 points

    Unemployment now
    1.9%
    A year ago
    2.9%
    People in the labor force
    1,452,691

    Based on 1,452,691 people in the labor force.

    Miami-Dade County job market

  6. 6

    Buncombe County NC

    −1.0 points

    Unemployment now
    2.8%
    A year ago
    3.8%
    People in the labor force
    137,407

    Based on 137,407 people in the labor force.

    Buncombe County job market

  7. 7

    Beaufort County SC

    −1.0 points

    Unemployment now
    3.5%
    A year ago
    4.5%
    People in the labor force
    87,479

    Based on 87,479 people in the labor force.

    Beaufort County job market

  8. 8

    Lancaster County SC

    −1.0 points

    Unemployment now
    4.0%
    A year ago
    5.0%
    People in the labor force
    52,538

    Based on 52,538 people in the labor force.

    Lancaster County job market

  9. 9

    Robeson County NC

    −1.0 points

    Unemployment now
    4.3%
    A year ago
    5.3%
    People in the labor force
    43,435

    Based on 43,435 people in the labor force.

    Robeson County job market

  10. 10

    Greenwood County SC

    −1.0 points

    Unemployment now
    4.2%
    A year ago
    5.2%
    People in the labor force
    29,732

    Based on 29,732 people in the labor force.

    Greenwood County job market

  11. 11

    Aiken County SC

    −0.9 points

    Unemployment now
    3.6%
    A year ago
    4.5%
    People in the labor force
    80,978

    Based on 80,978 people in the labor force.

    Aiken County job market

  12. 12

    Horry County SC

    −0.9 points

    Unemployment now
    4.2%
    A year ago
    5.1%
    People in the labor force
    185,328

    Based on 185,328 people in the labor force.

    Horry County job market

  13. 13

    Pickens County SC

    −0.9 points

    Unemployment now
    3.2%
    A year ago
    4.1%
    People in the labor force
    69,415

    Based on 69,415 people in the labor force.

    Pickens County job market

  14. 14

    Nash County NC

    −0.8 points

    Unemployment now
    4.1%
    A year ago
    4.9%
    People in the labor force
    42,464

    Based on 42,464 people in the labor force.

    Nash County job market

  15. 15

    Guilford County NC

    −0.8 points

    Unemployment now
    3.4%
    A year ago
    4.2%
    People in the labor force
    265,551

    Based on 265,551 people in the labor force.

    Guilford County job market

  16. 16

    Iredell County NC

    −0.8 points

    Unemployment now
    2.9%
    A year ago
    3.7%
    People in the labor force
    103,949

    Based on 103,949 people in the labor force.

    Iredell County job market

  17. 17

    Burke County NC

    −0.8 points

    Unemployment now
    2.9%
    A year ago
    3.7%
    People in the labor force
    38,209

    Based on 38,209 people in the labor force.

    Burke County job market

  18. 18

    Rutherford County NC

    −0.8 points

    Unemployment now
    3.6%
    A year ago
    4.4%
    People in the labor force
    26,062

    Based on 26,062 people in the labor force.

    Rutherford County job market

  19. 19

    Greenville County SC

    −0.8 points

    Unemployment now
    3.2%
    A year ago
    4.0%
    People in the labor force
    306,446

    Based on 306,446 people in the labor force.

    Greenville County job market

  20. 20

    Spartanburg County SC

    −0.8 points

    Unemployment now
    3.7%
    A year ago
    4.5%
    People in the labor force
    176,980

    Based on 176,980 people in the labor force.

    Spartanburg County job market

  21. 21

    York County SC

    −0.8 points

    Unemployment now
    3.7%
    A year ago
    4.5%
    People in the labor force
    160,966

    Based on 160,966 people in the labor force.

    York County job market

  22. 22

    Berkeley County SC

    −0.8 points

    Unemployment now
    3.3%
    A year ago
    4.1%
    People in the labor force
    138,142

    Based on 138,142 people in the labor force.

    Berkeley County job market

  23. 23

    Oconee County SC

    −0.8 points

    Unemployment now
    3.5%
    A year ago
    4.3%
    People in the labor force
    38,124

    Based on 38,124 people in the labor force.

    Oconee County job market

  24. 24

    Watauga County NC

    −0.8 points

    Unemployment now
    2.6%
    A year ago
    3.4%
    People in the labor force
    28,833

    Based on 28,833 people in the labor force.

    Watauga County job market

  25. 25

    Sampson County NC

    −0.8 points

    Unemployment now
    3.1%
    A year ago
    3.9%
    People in the labor force
    24,578

    Based on 24,578 people in the labor force.

    Sampson County job market

Full ranking

All 100 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1Orangeburg County SC−1.6 points35,532
2Rowan County NC−1.2 points70,271
3Laurens County SC−1.2 points33,345
4Georgetown County SC−1.2 points28,071
5Miami-Dade County FL−1.0 points1,452,691
6Buncombe County NC−1.0 points137,407
7Beaufort County SC−1.0 points87,479
8Lancaster County SC−1.0 points52,538
9Robeson County NC−1.0 points43,435
10Greenwood County SC−1.0 points29,732
11Aiken County SC−0.9 points80,978
12Horry County SC−0.9 points185,328
13Pickens County SC−0.9 points69,415
14Nash County NC−0.8 points42,464
15Guilford County NC−0.8 points265,551
16Iredell County NC−0.8 points103,949
17Burke County NC−0.8 points38,209
18Rutherford County NC−0.8 points26,062
19Greenville County SC−0.8 points306,446
20Spartanburg County SC−0.8 points176,980
21York County SC−0.8 points160,966
22Berkeley County SC−0.8 points138,142
23Oconee County SC−0.8 points38,124
24Watauga County NC−0.8 points28,833
25Sampson County NC−0.8 points24,578
26Edgecombe County NC−0.8 points20,285
27Charleston County SC−0.7 points245,088
28Dorchester County SC−0.7 points92,018
29Florence County SC−0.7 points66,779
30Rockingham County NC−0.7 points40,027
31Wilson County NC−0.7 points34,301
32Kershaw County SC−0.7 points34,297
33Darlington County SC−0.7 points29,281
34Granville County NC−0.7 points28,994
35Haywood County NC−0.7 points28,677
36Davie County NC−0.7 points20,615
37Stokes County NC−0.7 points20,132
38Lexington County SC−0.7 points163,120
39Gaston County NC−0.7 points116,203
40Wilkes County NC−0.7 points25,441
41Jackson County NC−0.7 points22,914
42Sumter County SC−0.6 points42,867
43Richland County SC−0.6 points219,084
44Durham County NC−0.6 points186,784
45Forsyth County NC−0.6 points183,230
46Cabarrus County NC−0.6 points124,308
47Orange County NC−0.6 points78,148
48Wayne County NC−0.6 points48,433
49Moore County NC−0.6 points46,371
50Caldwell County NC−0.6 points35,034
51Pender County NC−0.6 points32,383
52Carteret County NC−0.6 points32,175
53Surry County NC−0.6 points31,907
54Lee County NC−0.6 points30,569
55Hoke County NC−0.6 points20,431
56Person County NC−0.6 points20,181
57Cumberland County NC−0.6 points128,460
58Alamance County NC−0.6 points83,676
59Cleveland County NC−0.6 points44,212
60Chatham County NC−0.6 points40,021
61Mecklenburg County NC−0.5 points662,350
62Union County NC−0.5 points133,173
63New Hanover County NC−0.5 points127,187
64Pitt County NC−0.5 points85,216
65Davidson County NC−0.5 points79,910
66Harnett County NC−0.5 points61,122
67Henderson County NC−0.5 points56,516
68Franklin County NC−0.5 points40,164
69Stanly County NC−0.5 points35,137
70Lenoir County NC−0.5 points24,404
71Cumberland County TN−0.5 points24,032
72Duplin County NC−0.5 points23,167
73Oktibbeha County MS−0.5 points22,756
74Gibson County TN−0.5 points21,871
75Brunswick County NC−0.5 points69,137
76Craven County NC−0.4 points40,044
77Roane County TN−0.4 points24,827
78Johnston County NC−0.4 points130,865
79Catawba County NC−0.4 points75,347
80Sullivan County TN−0.4 points73,504
81Onslow County NC−0.4 points71,803
82Randolph County NC−0.4 points66,982
83Lincoln County NC−0.4 points47,601
84Putnam County TN−0.4 points38,973
85Jones County MS−0.4 points30,196
86Loudon County TN−0.4 points28,033
87Hamblen County TN−0.4 points27,519
88Jefferson County TN−0.4 points26,249
89Bedford County TN−0.4 points24,672
90Pearl River County MS−0.4 points24,544
91Carter County TN−0.4 points23,996
92Dare County NC−0.4 points20,119
93Anderson County SC−0.4 points107,538
94Wake County NC−0.3 points698,382
95Robertson County TN−0.3 points41,244
96Lafayette County MS−0.3 points30,536
97Rutherford County TN−0.3 points214,456
98Hamilton County TN−0.3 points200,733
99Hinds County MS−0.3 points96,147
100Harrison County MS−0.3 points92,018

How this ranking works

A county's score is the change in its unemployment rate over twelve months, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted. The biggest fall ranks first.

Only counties with at least 20,000 people in the labor force whose rate fell are ranked. Month-to-month local estimates can be revised, so small differences are not meaningful.

Sample bar: counties with fewer than 20,000 people in the labor force are not ranked.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (not seasonally adjusted). Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which county ranks first: counties where unemployment fell the most in the southeast?
Orangeburg County saw the biggest improvement in the Southeast: its unemployment rate changed −1.6 points over the year, against −0.1 points for the typical large county.
How many counties are ranked?
100 counties have at least 20,000 people in the labor force, so the list has 100 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A county's score is the change in its unemployment rate over twelve months, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted. The biggest fall ranks first. Only counties with at least 20,000 people in the labor force whose rate fell are ranked. Month-to-month local estimates can be revised, so small differences are not meaningful.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Counties where unemployment fell the most in the Southeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-where-unemployment-fell-the-most-in-the-southeast

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-where-unemployment-fell-the-most-in-the-southeast">Counties where unemployment fell the most in the Southeast (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.

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