South Carolina's unemployment rate fell to 4.6% in May as the number of employed residents increased by nearly 10,000, according to the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW). The decrease marks the third consecutive month of declining unemployment in the state.
The agency also reported that the state's labor force grew by nearly 78,500 people over the past year, pushing the state's labor force participation rate to 59% — the highest level in a decade.
Most of South Carolina's metropolitan areas continued to see year-over-year workforce growth. The Myrtle Beach area led the state in workforce gains, followed by Hilton Head Island and Greenville.
Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3% in May. Other states reporting declines in unemployment included Delaware, Massachusetts, Ohio, Rhode Island and South Dakota.
Additional information about the May employment report is available here.