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While the overall unemployment rate held steady in South Carolina and the Beaufort area for December 2010, all-in-all the situation improved as more jobs were added. 

The month added some 4,394 jobs and was the fourth consecutive month to do so. 

Over the past 12 months, employment services, a subset of professional and business services, has led the state in employment growth, with an increase of 10,100 jobs. Other industries experiencing gains were Manufacturing (+5,000), Financial Activities (+3,700), Education and Health Services (+3,200), and Wholesale Trade (+2,600).

The overall rate for South Carolina was 10.7% and for the Charleston metro area was 9%. Beaufort County was steady at 8.5% (the second best in the state); and Jasper improved from 9.6% to 9.5%.

You can get loads more facts and figures in the report from the SC Department of Employment & Workforce.

• Get the unemployment backstory on our topic page.