S.C., Beaufort County's overall job count falls

Flickr user Kelly B.

South Carolina's unemployment effectively held steady during August at 9.6%.

The estimated number of unemployed people dropped by 2,021 to 204,941 — but the total number of employed persons decreased for the fifth consecutive month to 10,347. 

In all, the state's labor force participation rate (58.4) is the lowest since 1976, the first year such a number was recorded.

Nationally, the unemployment rate decreased from 8.3 percent in July to 8.1 percent in August, while in Beaufort County unemployment fell from 8.5% to 8.3% — a number also attributable to an overall decrease in the workforce.

The number of jobs in the county fell by 926, but the workforce contracted faster, shrinking by 1,181.

You can read the SC Department of Employment and Workforce's full news release on South Carolina's jobs below.

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