The unemployment rate in Stanislaus County dropped again in September and was below the estimate set a year ago, according to the latest numbers from the Employment Development Department.

September saw the unemployment rate in Stanislaus County fall to 5.3 percent, down from seasonally adjusted rate of 5.8 percent in August and below the 6 percent estimate from one year ago.

The sector reporting the largest increase in jobs for the month in Stanislaus County was the Government sector, which added an estimated 1,000 new positions for the month, according to the EDD. The majority of those jobs were within school districts and other education institutions at the local and state levels.

Other sectors posting modest job gains for the month were Educational and Health Services and Farming.

The Manufacturing sector in Stanislaus County posted the largest decline in jobs for the month, with approximately 1,000 fewer positions, according to the EDD.

Merced County had an unemployment rate of 5.9 percent for the month, down from the 7 percent reported in August. San Joaquin recorded an unemployment rate of 5 percent in September, down from 5.6 percent.

California’s unemployment rate decreased to 4.1 percent in September – a new record low level dating back to 1976 – while the state’s employers added 13,200 nonfarm payroll jobs, according to the EDD. The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 3.7 percent, and the nation’s employers added 134,000 nonfarm payroll jobs.

In related data, the EDD reported that there were 284,790 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the September survey week. This compares with 306,175 in August and 312,933 in September of last year. At the same time, new claims for Unemployment Insurance were 34,519 in September, compared with 35,925 in August and 39,575 in September of last year.

Turlock’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.3 percent in September, down from 4.9 percent in August. Denair’s rate was at 4.2 percent in September, down from 4.7 percent in August. Hughson had a September rate of 4.4 percent, down from the 4.9 percent posted in August. Keyes saw a drop from 11.6 percent in August to 10.4 percent in September. Ceres had an unemployment rate of 5.7 percent in September, down from the 6.5 percent in August.

The occupations with the most help wanted ads in Stanislaus County for September were: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers – 540; Registered Nurses – 318; Retail Salespersons – 177; Security Guards – 113; Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers – 106; First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers – 96; Maintenance and Repair Workers – 93; First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers — 93; Teacher Assistants — 90; and Customer Service Representatives — 83.

The 10 companies that posted the most help wanted ads for September in Stanislaus County were: Tenet Healthcare Corporation – 174; Sutter Health –102; Modesto City Schools – 96; Ceres Unified School District – 87; Nationwide Professional Resources, Inc. — 62; Kaiser Permanente – 59; Robert Half International — 56; Heartland Express, Inc. — 50; Turlock Unified School District – 43; and Central Valley Specialties — 42.