County jobless rate rises to 13.4 percent

The local economy followed an interesting trend that shows a drop in the state’s jobless rate despite increases in most counties.
Lancaster County’s unemployment rate for December was 13.4 percent, a jump from the 12.9 percent rate in November, according to numbers released by the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce.
The county had the state’s 13th highest unemployment rate in December. In December 2010, the county posted 15.6 percent, which was seventh in the state at the time.
At 17.9 percent, Marion County recorded the highest unemployment rate in the state last month. Allendale and Marlboro counties were next, both at 17.3 percent.
Lexington County had the state’s lowest December unemployment rate (7 percent). Charleston and Greenville counties were tied for second at 7.4 percent.
Statewide, the December rate was 9.5 percent, a considerable drop from the 9.9 percent clip a month prior. Likewise, the national rate fell from 8.7 percent in November to 8.5 percent in December.
“We are excited to see unemployment continue its steady decline in South Carolina,” said Abraham J. Turner, executive director of the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce.
“This is good news for South Carolinians, but there is still much work to be done as we continue to bring unemployment down,” he said.
Part of Turner’s concern may be the fact that despite statewide gains, just six of South Carolina’s 46 counties lowered their unemployment rate from November to December.
Thirty-five of the counties saw an increase and five had an unchanged rate.
Across the state, the transportation and utilities fields added 1,500 employees from November to December. Manufacturing added 1,200 during that span.
That was offset, though, by a loss of 3,500 jobs in leisure and hospitality and 2,800 in government.

County comparisons

December 2011 jobless rates for Lancaster and neighboring counties (November 2011 rates in parentheses):
• Lancaster – 13.4 percent  (12.9)
• Chester – 15.1 percent (14.2)
• Chesterfield – 12.8 percent (12.4)
• Fairfield – 12.5 percent (10.8)
• Kershaw – 8.5 percent (8.5)
• York – 12.3 percent (11.9)