SC Unemployment Rate Stayed 5.5 Percent During December

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) _ South Carolina’s unemployment rate stayed right where it was last month to end 2015.

The state Department of Employment and Workforce said Tuesday that South Carolina’s jobless rate was 5.5 percent in December, the same as November.

While unemployment was unchanged, the number of people working in the state went up by more than 10,000 in December. State officials say that increase means that South Carolina’s employment hit a historic high of more than 2,147,000.

The professional and business services and trade, transportation and utilities sectors added a combined 8,000 jobs.

Unemployment was highest in Marion County, at 9.3 percent. Charleston County was lowest, at 4.2 percent.

Nationally, the unemployment rate held steady at 5 percent in December.