The Longview metro area continued to add jobs in October triggering a drop in the area unemployment rate.

Texas Workforce Commission on Friday reported a three-county area around Longview had 109,100 people employed in October, up by about 2,500 from October 2011. A year ago, employers in Gregg, Rusk and Upshur counties tallied 106,600 workers on payrolls.

The unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in October for the Longview Metropolitan Statistical Area. That was down from 5.7 percent in September and from 6.7 percent a year ago, state officials reported.

Across the state, the unemployment rate was 6.3 percent in October, while the seasonally adjusted rate was 6.6 percent.

Longview Chamber of Commerce President Kelly Hall said she expects the employment picture to improve for the holidays and seasonal hiring.
 

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