The state's unemployment rate has risen to 8.4 percent.
The Department of Employment and Workforce released December job numbers Friday and the figure show that the number of jobless in South Carolina has gone up for the first time in four months.
The increase was slight from 8.3 percent in November and shows improvement from December 2011, when the state unemployment rate was 9.6 percent.
Throughout December 2012, the number of employed increased by 5,325 to 1,969560.
The number of unemployed grew since November by 3,211 to 180,032 in December, and the labor force expanded by 8,536 to 2,149,592.
Abraham Turner, Employment and Workforce Executive Director, said the increase was expected.
“Typically, we see a small decrease in employment in December because of seasonal declines in the Leisure and Hospitality, Professional and Business Services, and Government sectors,” Turner said.
“Nonetheless, I am encouraged as the state’s overall job growth trend throughout 2012 was at a pace similar to historical levels before the recent recession. This is welcomed news as we move forward in 2013, when DEW will continue partnering closely with businesses and jobseekers to put South Carolinians back to work.”
Nationally, the unemployment rate remained at 7.8 percent, with roughly 28,000 more Americans working and 164,000 additional people searching for work.
In the Greenville Metropolitan Statistical area, employment fell by 300 jobs, from 307, 700 in November to 308,000 in December.
Greenville County's unemployment rate rose from 6.6 percent in November to 6.8 percent last month.
In Pickens County, unemployment ticked up to 7.5 percent in December, up from 7.4 percent in November 2012.
Nearly every county in South Carolina saw unemployment go up last month.
Only Bamberg County, Orangeburg County and Calhoun County saw their unemployment numbers go down.
DEW reports that while the Leisure and Hospitality sector fell, several industries saw growth: Trade Transportation and Utilities (+2,400), Education and Health Services (+1,100), and Construction (+700).
South Carolina’s nonagricultural employment (not seasonally adjusted) fell 5,800 from November to December 2012, reaching 1,874,300. This was the first decline since July 2012. Since a year ago, nonfarm jobs were up 31,500 or 1.7 percentage points, compared to a national increase of 1.4 percentage points.
Modest increases were also seen in Financial Activities (+300) and Information (+100). In addition, retail trade demand remained high, and health care needs continued in a positive direction during the month.
Yesterday, Economist and former Executive Director of the Federal Trade Commission Dr. Bruce Yandle told Easley businesspeople that the Upstate is one of a number of "pockets of prosperity" that have weathered the economic storm better than other areas.