DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s unemployment rate declined slightly in September to 3.2 percent, reversing a small increase in the previous month. Iowa Workforce Development reported Friday that the unemployment rate drop came as the number of unemployed residents dropped to 54,600 in September, about 4,500 lower than in August. The August rate was 3.3 percent.

There were 1.63 million Iowa residents with jobs in September, an increase of about 4,500 from August but down 4,400 from a year ago. Iowa’s unemployment rate compares to a national rate of 4.2 percent.