TOPEKA – The unemployment numbers for October showing the rate for Hutchinson is exactly the same as October of last year at 6.7 %. However, it is a decline from September numbers when the rate was at 7.2%.

According to the latest numbers released Tuesday by the Kansas Department of Labor, there were 1-thousand, 424-residents in the city looking for work, while 19-thousand, 822-had jobs. Thats from a workforce of 21-thousand, 246.

The rate for Reno County also dropped from September numbers. It shows the rate at 5.5%, down from 5.9% in September, but slightly above the number in October of last year when the county rate was at 5.4%. One thousand, 917-county residents were out of work in October, but again, most of those are in Hutchinson.

Other counties in the area include Harvey County at 6%, down from 6.3% in September, Kingman at 4.8% in October, down from 5.4% the previous month, McPherson at 4.3%, down from 4.8 in September, Pratt at 4.2%, down from 4.6%, Rice County at 4.6%, in October, down from 5% in September and Stafford County, at 4.5%, down from 5.1% in September.

The largest county in the area, Sedgwick County is at 7.4%, down from 8.1% in September, and the 8.3% rate they had in October of last year.

According to October 2011 estimates, Kansas gained 9,000 non-farm jobs over the month, a 0.7 percent increase. Kansas gained 2,300 private sector jobs over the month.

The Kansas Department of Labor state in their latest report that over the year, Kansas has added 4,500 non-farm jobs, a 0.3 percent increase, and private sector jobs were up by 5,900 since October 2010.

The October 2011 unemployment rate in Kansas was 6.2 percent, down from 6.6 percent in September and down from 6.6 percent in October 2010.

The October 2011 seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.7 percent, unchanged from September and down from 6.9 percent in October 2010.