Syracuse, N.Y. -- The Syracuse area's unemployment rate fell to 3.7 percent in September, its lowest level in 18 years.

Last month's non-seasonally adjusted jobless rate was lower than any September since September 2000, when it was 3.5 percent. It was the first time the rate has been below 4 percent since October 2006, when it was 3.7 percent.

The rate in September of last year was 5 percent. It was 4.1 percent in August of this year.

The Syracuse area consists of Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties.

New York's unemployment rate fell to 3.8 percent in September, from 4.6 percent in September 2017 and 4.1 percent in August.

The national unemployment rate fell to 3.6 percent in September, from 4.1 percent in September 2017 and 3.9 percent in August.

There were 2,900 more jobs in the Syracuse area in September compared with the same month last year. All but 100 of the job gains were in the private sector. Only the leisure and hospitality sector lost jobs in September. It was down 1,400 jobs.

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