S.C. sees statewide unemployment drop in December

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Unemployment fell to 3.5% in December in South Carolina, down from 3.7% in November.

From December 2020 to December 2021, South Carolina’s economy has picked up 44,900 seasonally adjusted, nonfarm jobs, according to S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce data. The biggest year-to-year gains gain in trade, transportation and utilities, which added 15,900 jobs; leisure and hospitality, which added 9,000; and manufacturing, which added 5,600. 

Financial activities lost 2,100 jobs in the 12-month period, while professional and business services lost 200. 

From November to December 2021, S.C. added 2,600 jobs, led by 2,700 in trade, transportation and utilities and 1,500 in manufacturing. Professional and business services lost 2,100 jobs, while construction lost 700.

Despite the statewide drop, unemployment estimates rose in every S.C. county, led by a 7.5% increase in Marlboro County. Richland County saw an increase to 3.3% from 3% from November to December 2021, while Lexington saw an increase to 2.6% from 2.3%. 

In December 2020, unemployment stood at 6.2% in Richland County and 4.5% in Lexington County. 

DEW’s monthly household survey estimated the number of South Carolinians working in December 2021 at 2,320,717, an increase of 3,008 from November and of 97,237 from December 2020. Unemployment estimates decreased to 85,090 people, down 4,377 from November 2021 estimates and down 46,492 over the December 2020 estimate. 

S.C.’s labor force, or the people working plus unemployed people looking for work, dropped by 1,369 people in December 2021 from November to 2,405,807. That represented an increase of 50,745 individuals from December 2020. 

Nationally, the unemployment rate dropped to 3.9% in December from 4.2% in November. 

The Columbia metropolitan statistical area led the state by adding 2,400 jobs from November to December and has added 8,700 year-to-year. Charleston/North Charleston added 400 jobs month-to-month and 11,300 year-to-year, while Greenville/Anderson/Mauldin added 400 for the month and 10,900 for the 12-month period. Spartanburg added 1,000 jobs from November to December and 5,500 for the year.