South Carolina unemployment rate drops as tourist season heats up

Unemployment in South Carolina fell in March for the second month in a row.

The Department of Employment and Workforce said Friday that the state's jobless rate was 8.4 percent last month. That's a 0.2 percentage point drop from February, when South Carolina unemployment was 8.6 percent.

The state gained nearly 10,000 leisure and hospitality jobs as South Carolina ramps up for its busy tourist season. That industry has grown by more than 11,000 jobs since this time last year.

Over the last month, South Carolina also marked gains in professional and business services and government sectors, which both grew by more than 2,000 jobs each.

National unemployment also fell last month, from 7.7 percent to 7.6 percent.

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