Va jobless rate steady in Sept.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia's jobless rate remained steady at 5.9 percent in September for the third consecutive month.

The Virginia Employment Commission says the number of unemployed Virginians decreased in September, but the labor force increased.

The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September was 0.4 percentage points lower than a year ago.

Virginia's unemployment rate has been trending down since January 2010, when joblessness peaked at 7.3 percent. The rate had fallen to a three-year low earlier this year and increased during June and July in a pattern similar to last year.

The state's jobless rate is still below the national average, which fell to 7.8 percent in September. The Labor Department says rates fell in 41 states and Washington, rose in six and were unchanged in three.