COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina's unemployment has set a state record, with the jobless numbers for April reaching 11.5 percent.

The numbers released Friday broke a 26-year-old record.

In March, the state unemployment rate was 11.4 percent. That matched the highest rate ever in the state, set in January 1983.

Unemployment in South Carolina has now increased for 14 straight months. The number of unemployed workers in the state has more than doubled during that time to nearly 253,000 people.

Nationally, the unemployment rate climbed to 8.9 percent in April. That was up nearly a half-point from 8.5 percent in March.

A year ago, the U.S. rate was at 5.0 percent.

N.C. Jobless Rate For April Stays At 10.8 Percent

North Carolina's jobless rate for April was unchanged at 10.8 percent, marking a third straight month the rate was nearly flat and offering hope that the worst of the state's job losses may be over, the state Employment Security Commission reported Friday.

North Carolina's jobless rate of 10.8 percent in April and March was still the highest on record since states started the current measuring method in 1976. It was 10.7 percent in February. The state rate in April 2008 was 5.7 percent, the third-fastest rise in unemployment after Oregon and South Carolina.

"Things are still bad but the decline isn't as bad as it has been. That's hopeful and that's the first step in the process" of economic recovery, said James Kleckley, director of the Bureau of Business Research at East Carolina University. "I think what we're seeing is fairly consistent with what you may call a bottoming process. It's good in the fact that it's not getting any worse."

North Carolina's jobless rate has soared from 7 percent in October. And North Carolina remained one of eight states with double-digit jobless rates in April, led by Michigan with 12.9 percent.

The national unemployment rate rose to 8.9 percent in April, from 8.5 percent in March.

The fact that North Carolina continues to be a magnet for people looking for work was borne out by data showing an additional 26,042 people held jobs in April compared to March, the ESC said. The state's labor force has grown by 62,556 in the past year, after adjusting for seasonal differences.

The number of jobless North Carolinians decreased by 815 over the month, but that wasn't enough to change the unemployment rate that reflects 492,785 people were out of work.

Education and health services jobs continued to show the best prospects as the sector added 4,100 jobs in April. Manufacturing continue to shed jobs, with companies cutting payrolls by 4,600.

Despite layoffs like the nearly 250 jobs cut by apparel-maker Polkton Manufacturing Co. in Wadesboro and Robersonville, Kleckley saw some hopeful signs for manufacturers in the April data.

Hours worked stayed almost the same from March to April, while hourly wages rose slightly from month to month. That suggests that manufacturing companies, which represent about a fifth of North Carolina's economic output, may have finished laying off newer, lower-paid workers and were stabilizing staffing levels with more senior, higher-paid employees.