Horry County Labor Information The majority of jobs in Horry County are related to the services necessary for successful tourism businesses. Approximately 63% of Horry County's employment is tourism related. Horry County's year-round population in 2006 is 231,890. Over the years, as Horry County has increased the number of employment opportunities and has seen a growth in population, it has been able to steadily decrease the annual unemployment rate. In 2006, the unemployment rate was 4.9%, a 0.5% from the rate of 5.4% in 2004. Horry County Employment by Sector 2006 1998 Construction 9.9% 5.7% Manufacturing 3.6% 8.1% Transport/Utilities 1.5% 2.6% Wholesale/Retail 17.8% 35.8% Finance/Ins./Real Est. 6.9% 7.5% Services 49.3% 29.4% Government 11.0% 10.9% Manufacturing Employment 2006 Durable Goods 80.0% Lumber and Wood 7.2% Furniture 4.4% Stone/Clay/Glass 5.9% Machinery (Not Electrical) 2.6% Electrical Equipment 32.1% Transportation Equipment 7.0% Fabricated Metal 20.3% Instruments 0.5% Non-Durable Goods 20.0% Food/Kindred Products 1.2% Textiles 1.0% Apparel 1.0% Paper/Allied Products 19.0% Printing/Publishing 3.6% Employment By Industry 2006 Farm employment 778 Nonfarm employment 115,666 Private employment 102,533 Ag. services, forestry, fishing, & other 778 Mining 45 Construction 12,098 Manufacturing 4,193 Transportation and public utilities 22,670 Wholesale trade 2,037 Retail trade 18,605 Finance, insurance, and real estate 7,618 Services 36,348 Government and government enterprises 13,133 Federal, civilian 516 Military 539 State and local 12,594 State 2,724 Local 9,870 Sources: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Accounts Data for Horry County, SC, 1998. South Carolina Department of Commerce, 1999.