INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana’s unemployment remained steady in October from September.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development said Friday the rate was flat at 3.5 percent.

The state’s unemployment rate remained below the national rate of 3.7 percent. With the exception of October 2014, when it was equal to the national rate, the state’s unemployment rate has been below the U.S. rate for more than five years.

Indiana’s labor force had a net increase of more than 5,300 over the previous month, which was a result of more than 2,400 unemployed residents no longer seeking employment and an about 2,900 increase in residents employed. The state says Indiana’s total labor force is nearly 3.4 million.