Unemployment rates improved sharply across northern Indiana in April, with both the Elkhart-Goshen and South Bend-Mishawaka metro areas outperforming the state average.

In the Elkhart-Goshen metro area, the unemployment rate fell to 2-point-7 percent in April, down from 3-point-5 percent in March and lower than the 3-point-4 percent rate from April of last year. The area also saw the number of unemployed residents drop by more than 800 compared to the previous month.

The South Bend-Mishawaka metro area, which includes St. Joseph County, posted a 3-percent unemployment rate in April. That’s down from 3-point-9 percent in March and below the 3-point-6 percent rate reported a year ago. More than 1,100 fewer people were unemployed in the region compared to March.

Statewide, Indiana’s unemployment rate held steady at 3-point-2 percent in April, remaining below the national unemployment rate of 4-point-3 percent. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development says the state’s labor force participation rate also remains higher than the national average.

Private employment in Indiana dipped slightly during April, although gains were reported in transportation and warehousing, healthcare, and construction. State officials say there were more than 94-thousand open job postings across Indiana at the end of April.