SC, York Co. jobless rates stable; Chester, Lancaster ticked up

South Carolina’s unemployment rate stayed right where it was last month to end 2015.

The state Department of Employment and Workforce said Tuesday that South Carolina’s jobless rate was 5.5 percent in December, the same as November.

York County’s unemployment rate also remained stable in December, holding at 4.8 percent. That was down from 6 percent in December 2014.

Chester and Lancaster counties, meanwhile, saw slight upticks in their jobless rates. Chester’s rate in December was 7.2 percent, up from 7.1 percent in November, while Lancaster came in at 5.6 percent, up from 5.5 percent a month earlier.

Chester County’s December unemployment rate was down almost 2 percentage points from a year ago, when it was 9 percent. Lancaster County’s rate fell more than 1 percentage point from December 2014, when it measured 6.7 percent.

While unemployment was unchanged statewide, the number of people working in the state went up by more than 10,000 in December. State officials say that increase means that South Carolina’s employment hit a historic high of more than 2,147,000.

The professional and business services and trade, transportation and utilities sectors added a combined 8,000 jobs.

Unemployment was highest in Marion County, at 9.3 percent. Charleston County was lowest, at 4.2 percent.

Nationally, the unemployment rate held steady at 5 percent in December.

This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 10:49 AM with the headline "SC, York Co. jobless rates stable; Chester, Lancaster ticked up."