More South Carolinians are joining the state's workforce, according to the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW). An update released by the department Thursday shows an increase of 4,102 workers in September—bringing the total number of those employed to 2,468,922.
Despite the positive news, SCDEW says the state's unemployment rate increased to 4.4%, matching the current national percentage. In September, the number of unemployed South Carolinians rose to 113,929. That's up 3,218 people from August.
Sumter County had the highest percentage of unemployed at 5.5%, while the Charleston/North Charleston area saw the lowest percentage at 3.9%.
The federal government shutdown delayed monthly employment reporting, including the release of the September data. It is expected that partial information for October will be released along with a full report for November on January 7, 2026.
A more detailed breakdown of current employment statistics around the state can be found on the SCDEW website.