Local unemployment falls below state average

The unemployment rate in all nine Bay Area counties was below the state average in September, state employment officials announced Friday.

The unemployment rate in the Bay Area ranged from a low of 3.1 percent in San Mateo County to a high of 5.3 percent in Solano County, while the state’s unemployment rate held steady at 5.5 percent.

The unemployment rate in six counties was below 4 percent and between 4 and 5 percent in two counties, officials with the California Employment Development Department said.

The data are preliminary and not adjusted for seasonal factors.