By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com

COUNTY — The unemployment rate in Pickens County saw a significant decrease in September, according to the latest jobs report released by the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW).

The county’s unemployment rate fell from 4 percent in August to 3.2 percent in September. The decline comes one month after Pickens County’s jobless rate remained relatively steady, dropping slightly from 4.1 percent in July to 4 percent in August.

DEW reported that 2,223 Pickens County residents were unemployed at the end of September, compared to 2,812 at the end of August.

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

The county has also seen improvement over the past year. In September 2025, 4.1 percent of Pickens County’s workforce was unemployed, compared to 3.2 percent in September 2026.

Statewide, South Carolina’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4 percent in September, down from 4.2 percent in August, according to DEW. The state’s rate was below the national unemployment rate of 4.2 percent.

“The number of people employed in the state rose to a new record high of 2,573,275, meaning nearly 6,500 new residents found employment since August, and over 73,000 more people are employed now compared to this time last year,” DEW executive director William Floyd said.

Floyd said South Carolina’s labor force, which includes people who are employed and those who are unemployed but actively seeking work, grew by 4,146 people from August to September, reaching a record 2,679,964.

“South Carolina currently has the fastest growing labor force in the nation in 2026,” Floyd said.

He also noted that the state’s nonfarm payroll employment increased 2.3 percent year over year, with job growth across several industries, including construction, health care, and leisure and hospitality.

In addition to reporting employment gains, DEW is highlighting workforce development initiatives throughout October. The agency is recognizing Manufacturing Month through job fairs, hands-on learning activities for students and efforts to connect jobseekers with opportunities in the manufacturing industry.

“DEW celebrates jobseekers and employers continuously throughout the year, and October is no exception to recognizing workforce achievements and providing services at SC Works centers statewide,” Floyd said. “Our agency is currently celebrating Manufacturing Month by participating in manufacturing-themed job fairs and student hands-on learning activities, as well as sharing jobseeker success stories and relevant labor market information on social media. I also had the pleasure of welcoming South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership President and CEO Andy Carr to The Works Podcast, where we spoke about the importance of manufacturers and manufacturing jobs in South Carolina.”

DEW is also observing National Disability Employment Awareness Month by working with disability service providers on job fairs and sharing stories of people with disabilities who have found employment.

More information about the agency’s workforce initiatives is available at findyourfuture.sc.gov/theworks.