Directions Blog

Staff Report
colanews@scbiznews.com
Published July 18, 2014

South Carolina’s unemployment rate remained flat at 5.3% in June, a level unchanged since April, the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce reported today.

An estimated 115,583 people were unemployed, an increase of 630 people over the month, while the number of employed decreased by 847 people to 2,050,128.

In June, the labor force shrank by 217 people to 2,165,711.

Since June 2013, the state’s unemployment rate fell by 2.5 percentage points. More than 35,000 people have found work, and the labor force has decreased by 20,082 people, the state agency said.

Nationally, the unemployment rate declined to 6.1% in June from 6.3% in May.

Cheryl M. Stanton, executive director of the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce, said that 35,000 more South Carolinians are working today than a year ago.

“This is more evidence that South Carolina’s economy continues to strengthen,” she said. “With nearly 60,000 available jobs, the future of the Palmetto State is bright.”

June’s seasonally adjusted, nonfarm payroll employment reported its fourth seasonal employment increase this year with an increase of 4,400 over the month to reach 1,933,100.

Upticks in employment were in professional and business services, which was up 2,700; education and health services, up 1,600; leisure and hospitality, 1,600; and other services, at 1,000. Smaller increases occurred in manufacturing, up 300, and information, up 200.

Drops occurred in trade, transportation and utilities, which was down 1,500; construction, at down 600; government, down 600; and financial services, down 400.

Between June 2013 and June 2014, seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs increased 42,500.

Industries with noticeable growth were professional and business services, which was up 11,400; leisure and hospitality, at up 8,100; manufacturing, up 7,800; education and health services, 7,200; and trade, transportation and utilities, 5,200. Government grew by 2,300, along with construction, up 1,500, and information, up 600.

Declines over the year were reported in financial activities, down 1,500, and other services, down 100.

Allendale and Marion counties were tied for highest unemployment rate in the state at 10.1%. Allendale’s jobless rate a year ago was 14.4%, while Marion’s was 15.2%.

In the Midlands, Richland County’s jobless rate ballooned to 6.0% in June from 5.2% in May. Lexington, which typically shows the lowest unemployment rate, was at 4.8% in June, compared with 4.2% in May.

Greenville County shared the laurels with Lexington County in June, with a 4.8% jobless rate, compared with 4.3% in May. Spartanburg County’s jobless rate jumped to 5.7% in June from 4.9% in May. Anderson County’s rate jumped to 5.3% in June from 4.6% in May.

In the Lowcountry, Charleston County posted a 4.9% jobless rate in June, up from 4.4% in May. In the same period, Dorchester County’s rate rose to 5.3% from 4.5%, and Berkeley County’s jobless rate rose to 5.5% from 4.9%.