The October rate is down a tenth of a point from the year-ago figure of 2.9 percent, the department said in a news release. Last month’s Nebraska rate remained well below the U.S. number of 3.7 percent, which also was unchanged.

“October continued the trend of employment highs,” said state Labor Commissioner John Albin. “Lincoln and Omaha both reached new highs for nonfarm jobs, while statewide the total nonfarm job count has remained above 1 million since February of 2017.”

Nonfarm employment was 1,039,493, up 15,953 over the year and up 2,867 over the month, the report said. Private industries with the most growth year over year were professional and business services, up 4,962; manufacturing, up 4,384; and leisure and hospitality, up 3,764. Month to month, the largest gains were seen in education and health services, up 1,319; trade, transportation and utilities, up 1,201; and professional and business services, up 924.

The preliminary Omaha-area rate for October was unchanged at 2.6 percent — the same figure as October 2017. Lincoln’s preliminary rate rose a tenth of a point, hitting 2.5 percent, compared with 2.4 percent in September. The year-ago figure was 2.4 percent. Grand Island’s preliminary rate for October was 2.7 percent, up a tenth from September’s 2.6 percent. The October 2017 figure was 2.6 percent.

The unemployment rates for Grand Island, Lincoln and Omaha have not been seasonally adjusted, so they cannot be directly compared with the state unemployment rate.

Here are preliminary area labor market unemployment rates for October, followed by the September rates:

— Beatrice: 4.0, 2.7

— Columbus: 2.5, 2.4

— Fremont: 2.5, 2.5

— Hastings: 2.7, 2.6

— Kearney: 2.2, 2.2

— Lexington: 2.4, 2.4

— Norfolk: 2.3, 2.2

— North Platte: 2.7, 2.6

— Red Willow: 2.6, 2.5

— Scottsbluff: 3.0, 2.9