Companies interested in locating in Marion County will find a wide range of quality services available. We have a considerable labor market with a variety of opportunities for training and education within close proximity. The County´s unemployment rate as of March 2010 was 20.7%.The weekly wages earned by workers in this area are considerably lower than larger metropolitan areas. The incentives and benefits available for qualifying entities locating or expanding in Marion County are the maximum allowed by law. These opportunities allow new and existing firms a lower cost of operation when locating here.

Employer-Employee Relations

Employer-employee relations in South Carolina are very stable, and the state consistently ranks as one of the least unionized in the nation. In 2001, South Carolina had the lowest union membership rate in the United States.

Labor Force

• Unemployment normally fluctuates between 10% and 13%.
• Approximately 2,500 workers commute outside the county daily for employment.
• The total civilian labor force within a 30 miles radius is 161,463. This includes approximately 33,000 workers unemployed and underemployed (underemployed are those making less than $12,000 annually).
• Approximately 50% of all high school graduates in Marion County choose to enter the workplace upon graduation.

A Large Labor Force, with Access to Impressive Training and Development Programs

The estimated labor force within a 30 mile radius of Marion County was 161,463 out of a total civilian population of 296,332. Over 50.8% of the population in that radius fall into the prime working age group of 25-54. Companies needing skilled laborers will benefit from the fact that South Carolina boasts a higher per capita percentage of craftsmen, operatives, and laborers than the national average. There is an abundant source of recruitable labor in the area, and a wealth of training and development opportunities.

Regional Data

Access information from the North Eastern Strategic Alliance, a regional economic development organization serving a nine-county area in northeast South Carolina. (Data includes population, income distribution, labor force statistics, educational institutions and quality of life.) www.scbusinesscorner.com/demographicdata.asp