Aiken County's unemployment rates jumped in December, sending them above the national average with one of the largest percentage increases in people out of work in the state.

Aiken's unemployment rose by 846 people, or 1.1 percent, meaning a total of 7,755 or 10.4 percent of the workforce were jobless.

However, the total numbers in that workforce only dropped by 624, meaning fewer people are actually seeking work.

Aiken dropped in state rankings, but only six counties have better employment numbers out of the 46 counties.

November figures registered 6,909 Aikenites without work, an unemployment rate of 9.3 percent.

Statewide, South Carolina's unemployment rate also rose sharply to a record 12.6 percent despite a drop in the number of people looking for work.

The Employment Security Commission (ESC) figures for the state released Friday were up from November's 12.3 percent rate and well above the 10 percent national rate. In November, South Carolina's rate was the nation's fourth highest. Michigan's 14.6 percent was the nation's highest, followed by Nevada at 13 percent and Rhode Island's 12.9 percent, according to the ESC.

December's South Carolina figures were led by losses in tourism-related jobs.

The commission noted the labor force was at its lowest level since September 2008 as fewer people actively sought work.

"This suggests the state's labor markets remain incredibly weak with a combination of more discouraged workers and an apparent acceleration of job losses," Coastal Carolina University economist Don Schunk said in his monthly analysis of the rates.

Schunk expects the state's unemployment rate to peak between 13 percent and 14 percent and that is "now apparently within easy reach," he said.

Tina Barfield, area director for ESC in Aiken, said her office has seen an influx of individuals filling for new extension programs for the long-term unemployed. Her office is "unbelievably busy," she said, but they continue to work, putting 180 people a month back to work.

While job losses are slowing from levels seen in 2008 and early 2009, "we have not yet seen signs of employment stability," Schunk said.

In all, 6,720 people left the labor force, according to reports. Meanwhile, job losses continued to mount with 5,200 lost in leisure and hospitality business and 4,000 from business and professional services, according to reports. Manufacturers continued to shrink payrolls with 800 more unemployed there.

There were a couple of bright spots as retailers hired 700 people and the transportation, warehousing and utilities sector picked up 1,000, the report states.

The job losses came as the state's economic development efforts paid off with big wins, including landing a Boeing Inc. aircraft assembly line in North Charleston. But it will take years for all of the promised 3,800 jobs to materialize.

Allendale and Marion counties had the highest rates of 23.6 percent and 22.6 percent, respectively, with Marion County's joblessness up by 1.4 percentage points from November. Lexington County posted the lowest rate at 8.7 percent.

Contact Mike Gellatly at mgellatly@aikenstandard.com.