(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - Indiana’s unemployment rate fell to 8.2 percent in September, but remained higher than the national rate of 7.8 percent.

New numbers out Friday from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development shows the state’s jobless rate declined just slightly to 8.2 percent last month from 8.3 percent in August. That’s a full percent lower than September of last year, when it was 9.2 percent.

Indiana’s biggest September jobs gains came in the transportation, utilities, financial activities, and construction sectors.

"I find it particularly encouraging that Hoosiers are returning to the labor force," DWD Commissioner Scott B. Sanders said Friday.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Indiana lost 6,000 private sector jobs in September, the first monthly decline after 10 months of gains. Most of the job losses were in professional and business services, private educational and health services, and manufacturing.

Indiana had the lowest unemployment among neighboring states, except for Ohio, where unemployment fell to 7.0 percent last month. Kentucky’s September unemployment was 8.4 percent.

Locally, September unemployment figures improved or stayed the same in every southeast Indiana county from August. Dearborn County’s unemployment 7.5 percent, Franklin County 7.1, and Ohio County was 7.2. Ripley County had the area’s highest unemployment at 7.6 percent. Switzerland County was the lowest at 6.1.