SC unemployment falls to 5.7 percent, lowest since Feb. 2008

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s unemployment rate has dropped from 6.0 percent to 5.7 percent, the fourth consecutive monthly decline.

The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce reports Tuesday the rate is at its lowest level since February 2008.

Since May, the rate has dropped 1.1 percent.

State officials say the decline is the largest four-month drop since the unemployment rate dropped 1.7 percent from June to September in 1983.

Also, employment hit a new high with more than 2.1 million working. That is an increase of just over 7,000 from August to September. The number of unemployed individuals decreased by just over 6,600 to more than 128,500, the lowest level since April 2008.

Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.1 percent.