Unemployment rate remains at 2.4% in January

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The estimated number of people working in South Carolina grew to a record 2,330,683 in January, while the state’s unemployment rate remained unchanged from December 2019’s revised rate of 2.4%.

The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce’s monthly survey of state households estimated an increase of 4,665 South Carolinians working from December 2019 and an increase of 43,517 people from January 2019.

The state’s unemployment estimates decreased to 56,590, a drop of 689 from December 2019 and down 23,666 from January 2019. South Carolina’s labor force, or the number of people working plus those looking for work, increased to an estimated 2,387,273, up 3,976 from December 2019 and 19,851 from January 2019.

Nationally, the unemployment rate edged up to 3.6 in January from 3.5% in December 2019.

In South Carolina, the education and health services industry saw an increase of 1,500 workers, while professional and business services saw an increase of 1,300. The financial activities industry saw a drop of 200, while the construction industry remained flat.

Unemployment rose in every S.C. county in January, including an increase to 2.3% in Lexington County from 1.9% in December 2019. Richland County saw an increase to 2.8% in January from 2.2% the previous month.

In January 2019, unemployment stood at 2.9% in Lexington County and 3.7% in Richland County.

State unemployment remained highest in Allendale County, which saw a jump to 6.8% in January from 4.6% the previous month.