The state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations reported Thursday (Oct. 18) that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September was 5.7 percent, down from 6.1 percent in August.

From a press release:

The last time Hawaii had an unemployment rate as low as 5.7 percent was in December 2008. Statewide, there were 604,000 employed and 36,650 unemployed in September, for a total seasonally adjusted labor force of 640,650. Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.8 percent, a decline from 8.1 percent in August.

Initial claims and weeks claims for unemployment benefits were down 9.4% and 13.2%, respectively compared to one year ago. Between August and September, initial claims increased by 0.2% while weeks claims dropped by 5.6%.