U.S. jobless rate drops to lowest point since January 2009

The national unemployment rate for September dropped to 7.8 percent, the lowest rate in nearly four years, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The U.S. jobless rate was 7.8 percent in January 2009, increased to 8.3 percent a month later, and never dropped below 8 percent until last month, according to historical employment information from the BLS.

The jobless rate last month was three-tenths of a point lower than the 8.1 percent unemployment rate in August, when employers added 96,000 jobs.

Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 114,000 jobs during September. Last month, the number of unemployed Americans was 12.1 million, a 456,000-person decrease from August, according to the BLS.

The latest national unemployment figures report is the second to last release before the Nov. 6 presidential election, a major focus of which has been on jobs. The BLS is scheduled to release October unemployment figures Nov. 2.

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