(INDIANAPOLIS) – Indiana's jobless rate dropped down from 6.4 percent in August to 6.2 in September.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development released the latest figures, saying that the State's labor force had a net decrease of 19,691 over the previous month. This was a result of a decrease of 6,289 unemployed residents and a decrease of 13,402 employed residents. Indiana's total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and those seeking employment, stands at 3.33 million, and the State's 63 percent labor force participation rate remains above the National rate of 61.4 percent.

Private Sector employment has decreased by 109,700 over the year and by 4,500 over the previous month. This decrease is primarily due to losses in the Private Education and Health Services (-4,000) and the Construction (-1,300) sectors. Those losses were offset by gains in the Professional and Business Services (2,000) and the Leisure and Hospitality (800) sectors.