DES MOINES — Iowa’s unemployment rate for September dropped to 4.7%, continuing a five-month trend of hiring after the state’s economy was hit by the coronavirus pandemic, a state agency reported today.

Iowa Workforce Development reported the unemployment rate was down from 6% in August. The rate has declined every month since April, when unemployment peaked in Iowa.

There were an estimated 76,600 unemployed Iowa residents in September. That is nearly 28,000 more than a year ago but down by more than 110,000 from April.

Iowa’s unemployment rate was fifth-lowest in the nation.

The U.S. unemployment rate in September was 7.9%.