South Carolina unemployment at 11 percent. Charleston is second lowest

South Carolina’s unemployment rate increased to 11 percent in February.

The Employment Security Commission said Friday the rate was up from the revised 10.3 percent rate for January.

Charleston County unemployment was at 8.3 percent in February, the second lowest in the the state behind Lexington’s 7.9 percent.

Here are the numbers for other counties in the Lowcountry.

Williamsburg 16.1 percent… Colleton 14.3… Georgetown 13.1… Berkeley 10.3… and Dorchester 9.8.

South Carolina’s was the highest jobless rate since March 1983, when the rate was 11.1 percent.

The commission says the number of unemployed in January increased by 15,000 people to 241,000.

The national unemployment rate was 8.1 percent in February.

Allendale County had the highest unemployment rate at 23.4 percent.

Lexington County had the lowest rate at 7.9 percent.

Gov. Mark Sanford has said much of the unemployment problem comes from growth in the state’s labor force.

The commission says the labor force increased by nearly 5,600 in February.