DENVER – Colorado’s unemployment rate dropped in March to the lowest level since the mid-70s.

According to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the state’s unemployment rate last month was 2.6 percent.

In addition to being the lowest unemployment rate since 1976, it’s also the lowest rate in the United States.

The national unemployment rate was also down in March to 4.5 percent.

CDLE said the decrease in unemployment in Colorado is due to more people entering the workforce. According to a survey of households, the number of people actively participating in the workforce increased by 10,500 from the month before and the number of people reporting themselves as employed increased by 19,500.

The biggest employment gains were in the leisure/hospitality, financial activities, education and health services industries.