Indiana’s unemployment rate for November was 3.6 percent, according to the state’s department of workforce development.

Indiana’s jobless rate has held at 3.5 percent since August. The state’s jobless rate was still below the national unemployment rate in November which was 3.7 percent.

Indiana's unemployment rate now has been below the U.S. rate for more than five years, the state said, citing U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The jobless rate figures are an indicator that reflects the number of unemployed people seeking employment within the prior four weeks as a percentage of the labor force.

Indiana’s labor force had a net increase of 2,216 over the previous month, the state said. This was a result of a 2,122 increase in unemployed residents and an increase of 94 employed residents.

Indiana's total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and those seeking employment, stands at 3.40 million, and the state’s 65.1 percent labor force participation rate remains above the national rate of 62.9 percent, the state said.

Private sector employment has grown by more than 25,900 year-to-date through November and has increased by 2,800 over the previous month, primarily due to gains in manufacturing (3,100) and the private educational and health services (1,900) sectors, the state said. Gains were partially offset by losses in the trade, transportation and utilities (-2,000) and the leisure and hospitality (-1,000) sectors.

Total private employment reached a preliminary record highpoint of 2,714,800, which is 25,900 above the official December 2017 peak.