Mower County's jobless rate dropped to 5.5 percent in September, down from 5.8 percent in August and 5.9 percent in September 2009.
The national rate was 9.2 percent and the Minnesota rate was 6.7 percent in September, not seasonally adjusted.
The county had 19,829 people who were employed and 1,159 who were jobless in the month.
The 11-county southeastern Minnesota region as a whole had a jobless rate of 6.2 percent, with Olmsted County at 5.3 percent and Mower County at 5.5 percent leading the way.
Every county in the region dropped from a year ago and from August.
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"September’s employment picture is a reminder that economic recoveries are uneven," said Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Dan McElroy. "Goods-producing industries showed particular strength in September. Construction gained 3,100 jobs, more than it has since April 2005, and manufacturing added jobs for the fourth consecutive month."
In the past year, the Rochester metropolitan area has added 1,500 jobs, growing 1.5 percent, the fastest growth rate among the state's metro areas.
Many of Rochester's job growth comes in educational and health services sector, as Mayo Clinic continues to be relatively prosperous.
