South Carolina's Unemployment Rate Fourth-Highest In Nation

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The U.S. Department of Labor says South Carolina had the nation's fourth-highest unemployment rate in February at 6.3 percent.

The rate is not much different than a revised 6.2 percent rate in January.

Clemson University economist Bobby McCormick said the rate is expected to stay high for a while.

The national unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in February.

The state Employment Security Commission reports that manufacturing lost 11,800 jobs during the period.

Gov. Mark Sanford's spokesman said the job losses point to the need to reduce the state's income tax and focus more on emerging industries.

Marlboro County had the highest unemployment rate in February at 20.5 percent. Lexington County had the lowest with 3.1 percent.

Union County continued to have the Upstate's highest unemployment rate at 13.8 percent, unchanged from January.