BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota’s unemployment rate dropped from 4.8% in August to 3.8% in September, nearly half that of the national rate.

Job Service North Dakota said there were 4,432 fewer unemployed people between the two months. The state unemployment rate in September 2019 was two percentage points lower than the current rate.

Officials say the national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September was 7.7 percent. It was 8.5 percent the prior month and 3.3 percent the prior year.