Unemployment Rate Ticks Up in Dorchester County

While the unemployment rate dipped on slightly in the state for the fourth consecutive month, Dorchester County saw its numbers increase slightly.

According to statistics released Friday by the S.C. Department of Employment & Workforce (DEW), South Carolina's unemployment rate dropped to 8.3 percent in November from 8.6 percent in October.

In South Carolina, the number of unemployed people fell by 6,434 in November. The number of employed people rose by 9,758. And, the state's labor force ticked up slightly to 2.1 million people.

Dorchester County's number inched up from 6.6 percent in October to 6.8 percent in November. More than 4,655 people in Dorchester County currently are unemployed, according to DEW. The increase is despite a labor-force decreased from 68,444 in October to 68,214 in November, and nearly 300 more people finding employment.

The county with the lowest unemployment rate was Lexington County, at 6.3 percent. Marion County had the state's highest rate, at 15.8 percent.

The national unemployment rate fell in November to 7.7 percent from October's 7.9 rate, after a 350,000 drop in the labor force.