St. Lawrence County's unemployment rate dropped half a point last month, following a three-tenths of a percent drop in August.

Statistics from the state Department of Labor for September show the jobless rate in St. Lawrence County stood at 5.4 percent in September, compared with 5.9 percent in September 2015.

The report for August said that unemployment in St. Lawrence County was down three-tenths of a point from a year before to 5.7%, and the county gained 100 jobs.

The number of workers getting unemployment insurance was 2,500 in September, down 200 jobs or 0.2 percent from September 2015.

The number of people reported in jobs in September was 44,100 in St. Lawrence County compared with 43,800 in September 2015, an increase of 300 jobs or 0.3 percent.

To our immediate east in Franklin County, the jobless rate six-tenths of percent, from 5.7 percent in September 2015 to 5.1 percent last month. The number of jobless stood at 1,000 last month and 1,200 in September 2015.Nevertheless, the Labor Department reports that 100 fewer people had jobs last month compared with a year 19,200 compared to 19,230.

To our west, in the Watertown and Jefferson County area, the jobless rate was down one-tenth of a percent, from 5.5 percent to 5.4 percent last month. Those getting unemployment insurance was steady at 2,600.

Those counted as having jobs was up half a point, from 44,000 to 44,500.