By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com

COLUMBIA — The unemployment rate in Pickens County saw a slight decrease during the latest jobs report released on Friday.

The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) reported that unemployment in the county went down from 3.9 percent in March to 3.5 percent in April.

The fall in unemployment comes just one month after Pickens County saw its jobless rate drop more than one whole percentage point from 5.3 percent in February.

DEW also reported that 2,394 county residents were unemployed at the end of April, compared to 2,660 county residents unemployed at the end of March.

Pickens County was tied for the 13th-lowest unemployment rate among South Carolina’s 46 counties, according to the report.

While Pickens County saw an decrease in unemployment this month, it has remained mostly stagnant over the last year.

Last April, 3.7 percent of Pickens County’s workforce was out of work, but that number has fallen to 3.5 percent in the year since, according to the DEW report.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted state unemployment rate fell from 4.9 percent in March to 4.8 percent in April.

Unemployment is up year-over-year from 4.2 percent in April 2025 to 4.8 in April 2026.

While the state is facing slightly higher numbers, S.C DEW Executive Director William Floyd says there is little cause for concern in the present conditions businesses in the state is in a better spot since last.

“It was another strong employment month for South Carolina with job growth in nearly every industrial sector and employers expanding their payrolls by an estimated 9,000 jobs. The number of people working is 2,464,252, a new record high for this year,” said Floyd. “The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2% as more people entered the labor force, while the state saw significant job growth in professional, scientific, and technical services; administrative and support and waste management and remediation services; and accommodation and food services.”

Floyd also highlighted ways prospective employers can look to seek employees.

“Also in April, DEW launched its Spring into Employment initiative, sharing dozens of success stories on social media from participants in our employment programs offered at SC Works centers statewide, many of these testimonials coming from companies. Employers have a lot to celebrate with our competitive talent pipeline growing, and we encourage all businesses to reach out to their nearest SC Works to let our staff match you with the right candidates, create personalized recruitment and training plans, find tax credits and other funding sources, promote your positions via hiring events and job fairs, and list your jobs in the SC Works Online System,” said Floyd.

“Employers can also celebrate their employees by submitting a photo of them on the job in our agency’s 2026 SC@Work Photo Contest, recognizing the Palmetto State’s wide-ranging careers and exceptional workforce. The winner will be invited to attend the upcoming Workforce Champion Award Ceremony. Our agency’s 2026 Workforce Champion Award, currently in its fourth year, is now a competition for the first time ever. Employers who provide career exploration or employment opportunities to students are eligible to apply, and the winning business will be honored by Governor McMaster and DEW with a ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion on September 1. Businesses can submit an entry for the SC@Work Photo Contest here and nominate themselves for the Workforce Champion Award here. Both competitions close on Sunday, June 14, so make sure to apply and show your pride in your business, especially the people and programs that keep it running,” concluded Floyd.

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