State unemployment rate drops to 9.9% in November, Beaufort down to 7.4% (Updated)

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(Updates below with additional state and local employment numbers.)

The SC Department of Employment and Workforce released the good word today that South Carolina's unemployment rate fell to 9.9% in November — a 0.6% point drop from 10.5% in October.

According to the official report, "This represents the largest monthly drop since 1976, the first year the Bureau of Labor Statistics made the monthly data series available. The national unemployment rate also saw a significant decrease, from 9% in October to 8.6% in November."

The industry with the largest month-to-month increase was Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+8,800), with 7,100 of that increase from Retail Trade. Professional and Business Services (+6,600) had the second largest increase.

As for Beaufort, the local unemployment rate fell from 8.2% in October to 7.4% in November.

Update: Behind the scenes, South Carolina's workforce contracted 4,750 from October to November but still job growth dubbled the shrinking, increasing 9,777 for a total growth of 14,527.

Locally the numbers were not mixed with Beaufort County's workforce growing by 495 to 65,271, and jobs growing by 957 to 60,442.

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