LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s unemployment rate fell by a tenth of a percentage point to 4.0 percent in September.

Figures released Wednesday by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget show Michigan’s jobless rate was three-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 3.7 percent last month and seven-tenths of a percentage point lower than the state’s September 2017 rate of 4.7 percent.

The agency says total employment in Michigan rose slightly by 1,000 during the month while the number of unemployed fell by 8,000.

Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives Director Jason Palmer says “the state’s unemployment rate has fallen by seven-tenths of a percentage point since the beginning of the 2018 while payroll jobs have risen consistently throughout the year.”