Palavir · State of US Industries, 2026 Edition
State of Retail Trade in South Carolina, 2026 Edition
NAICS 44-45
May 28, 2026
1. Market sizing (2022)
Establishments
18,490
Employees
265,152
Annual payroll
$8.50B
2. National context
South Carolina accounts for 1.77% of the 1,045,890 US establishments in this sector and ranks 19th out of 51 reporting states.
3. Workforce wages
SC avg annual wage
$32,063
US avg annual wage
$36,685
South Carolina sector wages are -12.6% versus the national average for NAICS 44-45.
4. Federal exclusion overlay (state-wide)
OIG LEIE individuals + entities
704
SAM debarred/excluded
1,141
Exclusion counts are state-wide across all NAICS, not specific to Retail Trade. Sourced from OIG LEIE and SAM exclusion lists, as of 2026-05-27.
5. Top 3 counties by establishment count
| Rank | County | Establishments | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Charleston County | 2,099 | 29,215 |
| #2 | Greenville County | 1,857 | 29,680 |
| #3 | Horry County | 1,849 | 26,161 |
GovBids
Federal contract opportunities and awards. Filter by NAICS, agency, set-aside.