Anyone without one knows that jobs are hard to find here.

In fact, the county lost 1,775 jobs from 2000 to 2008, according to a South Carolina Association of Counties employment report.

There were nearly 23,000 jobs here in 2000 but that number dropped to 21,730 in 2008, the report shows.

Nearly one-third of the job loss happened from 2007-2008 when the county shed 511 jobs.

Cherokee County Development Board Director Jim Cook said the statistics aren’t surprising. In fact, he termed it the “Job Loss Decade.”

“Sure, we’ve had job loss but that also includes the commercial sector,” Cook said.

Ever the optimist, Cook added, “But I’m looking forward, not backward.”

Anderson and Sumter counties had the most job loss during the 8-year span, losing a combined 10,000 jobs. Nearby Union County also was hit hard, losing slightly more than 3,000 jobs during the same period.

However, several counties experienced a job boom. Charleston County added a remarkable 25,915 jobs, while Horry and Lexington counties each exceeded 17,000 in job creation.