Jackson County’s unemployment rate dropped to its lowest in six months in December, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development’s monthly report.

December’s preliminary rate was 2.6 percent, which is 0.6 percent lower than the 3.2 percent in the same month a year earlier.

In December, 569 people from a labor force of 22,036 reported they were looking for work. In December 2016, 694 people from a workforce of 21,640 were looking for jobs.

The county’s rate also was lower than the state’s rate of 3.9 percent in December and the national rate of 3.1 percent.

Jackson County’s rate was seventh lowest in the state.

Other counties in south central Indiana, their preliminary December rates and rankings are: Bartholomew, 2.3 percent, fourth; Brown, 2.8 percent, ninth; Washington, 3.2 percent, 13th; Scott, 3.3 percent, 14th; Jennings, 3.5 percent, 16th; and Lawrence, 3.9 percent, 20th.