Butler County's jobless rate fell nearly a full percentage point in October to 4.9%, aided in large part by both a smaller labor force and more people within the workforce finding a job.

Between September and October, roughly 600 people left the labor force in Butler County, according to data published Tuesday by the state Department of Labor & Industry, while 100 more workers found jobs. Both these factors led to a 0.8-percentage point drop in the county's unemployment rate, from 5.7% to 4.9%.

It's the first time since January the county's labor force — defined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as those who are either working or actively seeking work — declined by more than 200 people. But it's also the first time since February 2020 the county's jobless rate decreased under 5%.

Surrounding counties saw similar dips in the labor force. Allegheny County to the south, for instance, lost 4,300 workers from its workforce — roughly 0.6% of its September figure — as its jobless rate declined to 4.9%. To the west, Beaver lost 500 workers with a similar, 0.5-percentage point decrease. North of Butler, Lawrence County also had a 200-person decline in its workforce with a 0.5-point decrease in its jobless rate.

Most nearby counties, however, also experienced a decrease in employment at the same time, opposite Butler County's 100-employed worker increase, or had similar numbers of employed workers in October compared with September. The two exceptions around Butler are Armstrong County, which saw a 200-person increase in its employed worker statistic, and Clarion County, in which 100 more workers were employed in October than in September.