Clarendon County's unemployment rate continued to decline in August as the number of residents working increased, part of a year-over-year improvement also seen in other rural counties across the region.
Clarendon's unemployment rate fell to 5.5% in August, down from 5.7% in July and 6.8% in August 2025, according to the latest figures from the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce. County unemployment figures are not seasonally adjusted.
An estimated 11,539 Clarendon County residents were employed in August, an increase of 277 from July. Compared with August 2025, the county had 427 more employed residents, while its labor force — those working or actively looking for work — had grown by 283 people.
Clarendon's August unemployment rate was slightly below Orangeburg County's 5.7%. Orangeburg's rate was down from 6.1% in July and 6.8% a year earlier.
Williamsburg County reported a 7.1% unemployment rate in August, up slightly from 7% in July but down from 8.5% in August 2025. All three rural counties recorded lower unemployment rates than they did a year ago.
Statewide, South Carolina's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.1% in August, its sixth consecutive monthly decline and the same as the national rate. The state's rate was 4.2% in July. Because statewide figures are seasonally adjusted while county figures are not, the rates are not directly comparable.
"August was another terrific month of growth for South Carolina's workforce," DEW Executive Director William Floyd said in announcing the figures.
South Carolina had about 2.57 million employed residents in August, 6,208 more than in July and 73,996 more than in August 2025. The state's labor force reached a record 2.68 million, increasing by 2,804 people during the month and nearly 64,000 over the year.
Floyd said the state's job growth also accelerated during August. Total nonfarm payroll employment increased 1.6% from a year earlier, compared with 0.4% nationally.
State figures showed year-over-year gains across most major employment sectors. Leisure and hospitality recorded the largest numerical increase, while education and health services, construction and manufacturing were also among sectors adding jobs.
