Unemployment Data

News & Events

JULY 2002

SOUTH CAROLINA’S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DECLINES IN JULY

South Carolina's unemployment rate fell to 5.2% in July, the Employment Security Commission reported today. This drop occurred despite a sharp seasonal reduction in the state's job count. South Carolina's rate was the lowest since April 2001. The nation's unemployment rate remained steady at 5.9% in July.

Seasonal employment trends were evident in July as government cut back jobs for the summer in schools. As a result, there were 28,600 total nonagricultural jobs lost in South Carolina during the month. The public sector did account for the vast majority of this decrease as colleges and schools continued their summer cutbacks of non-contract staff. Services and trade also cut 4,200 and 2,000 jobs, respectively. In manufacturing, there were far fewer layoffs associated with the July 4 holiday week than normally occur; as a result, manufacturing employment was down only 900 over the month versus an historical average drop of 3,200. On another positive note, continued low interest rates helped to boost construction jobs by 1,100.

Employment in South Carolina should increase in August as educational institutions staff up for the coming school year.

WAGE AND SALARY EMPLOYMENT July 2002
Industry	July 2002	June 2002	July 2001	Net Change Month Ago	Net Change Year Ago
Total Nonag. Employment	1,811,000	1,839,600	1,824,200	-28,600	-13,200
Construction	112,500	111,400	113,000	1,100	-500
Manufacturing	314,700	315,600	331,300	-900	-16,600
Trans. & Public Utilities	95,500	96,200	96,300	-700	-800
Trade	441,800	443,800	434,200	-2,000	7,600
Fin., Ins. & Real Estate	86,500	86,200	85,400	300	1,100
Services	469,800	474,000	462,300	-4,200	7,500
Government	288,600	310,900	300,100	-22,300	-11,500

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES RANKED BY COUNTY (unadjusted) July 2002
Rank	County	July 2002	June 2002	Unemployment Rate Change
1	Williamsburg	13.5	12.5	1.0
2	Marion	12.9	13.0	-0.1
3	Chester	12.4	12.3	0.1
4	Fairfield	12.2	12.1	0.1
5	Orangeburg	11.9	9.2	2.7
6	McCormick	11.4	11.1	0.3
7	Union	11.3	12.1	-0.8
8	Laurens	10.2	10.1	0.1
9	Marlboro	9.9	11.2	-1.3
10	Greenwood	9.8	10.0	-0.2
11	Abbeville	9.5	9.2	0.3
12	Dillon	8.9	10.0	-1.1
13	Clarendon	8.4	7.9	0.5
14	Hampton	8.2	8.3	-0.1
15	Georgetown	8.1	8.0	0.1
16	Lee	8.0	7.6	0.4
17	Darlington	7.8	8.0	-0.2
18	Newberry	7.7	7.7	0.0
19	Barnwell	7.6	7.7	-0.1
20	Oconee	7.5	6.9	0.6
21	Kershaw	7.4	7.0	0.4
22	Sumter	7.4	7.4	0.0
23	Calhoun	7.1	5.9	1.2
24	Chesterfield	7.0	7.5	-0.5
25	Cherokee	6.9	7.6	-0.7
26	Spartanburg	6.8	7.0	-0.2
27	Florence	6.7	6.7	0.0
28	Colleton	6.3	6.3	0.0
29	Anderson	6.2	5.3	0.9
30	Lancaster	6.2	6.6	-0.4
31	York	6.1	6.9	-0.8
32	Pickens	5.5	5.0	0.5
33	Saluda	5.3	6.1	-0.8
34	Bamberg	5.2	4.8	0.4
35	Aiken	5.0	5.4	-0.4
36	Allendale	4.8	4.4	0.4
37	Jasper	4.5	5.4	-0.9
38	Charleston	4.3	4.5	-0.2
39	Greenville	4.2	4.3	-0.1
40	Dorchester	4.1	4.1	0.0
41	Richland	3.9	3.9	0.0
42	Berkeley	3.8	4.2	-0.4
43	Edgefield	3.8	4.2	-0.4
44	Horry	3.2	3.4	-0.2
45	Lexington	3.0	3.2	-0.2
46	Beaufort	2.6	2.7	-0.1

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