The unemployment rate for St. Lawrence County continued to improve in November, dropping by three-tenths of a percent to 9.4 percent, down from 9.7 percent in October.

The drop brings the rate below the 9.5 percent mark reported in October, which was the first time the unemployment rate had been below 10 percent since the fall of 2011. The rate is also slightly lower than the 9.5 percent reported in November 2011.

In actual numbers, the rate equates to 4,500 unemployed people in St. Lawrence County in November, down from 4,700 in October and 4,600 one year ago.

The drop brings St. Lawrence County back in line with neighboring Jefferson and Franklin counties, both of which also show a 9.4 percent unemployment rate. In October, both showed lower unemployment rates than St. Lawrence County with 9.4 percent and 9.2 percent, respectively.

As is traditionally the case, St. Lawrence County unemployment rates remain quite a bit higher than those of New York State. Overall, the state reports a total unemployment rate of 7.9 percent for November, 1.5 percent lower than that of St. Lawrence County.

November rates for the state dropped from October, when New York showed an 8.3 percent unemployment rate. New York State’s rate was the same 7.9 percent rate as one year ago.

Several counties showd worse unemployment rates in November than St. Lawrence County, with the Bronx (11.8 percent), Orleans (10.1 percent) and Hamilton (10.5 percent) among the worst.