South Carolina’s unemployment rate reached 11.4 percent in March, the highest rate since January 1983.
The figure was higher than the revised February rate of 10.9 percent, according to the S.C. Employment Security Commission.
In March, the state’s labor force dropped slightly to 2,185,451, while the number of unemployed jumped 10,221 to reach a record high of 248,578.
Chester County saw its unemployment rate fall slightly to 20.6 percent from 20.7 percent in February.
Lancaster County had an unemployment rate of 18 percent last month, down from 18.3 percent in February.
And York County had a 12.7 percent jobless rate, down from 14.2 percent in February.
The national unemployment rate rose in March to 8.5 percent, up from 8.1 percent in February.
Source: Charlotte Business Journal
