The Vermont Department of Labor says the state's unemployment rate dropped one-tenth of 1 percent in January to 3.1 percent.
The Vermont figure compares to a national unemployment rate of 4.8 percent. Vermont is tied for the seventh lowest unemployment rate in the country. In January 2016 Vermont's unemployment rate was 3.3 percent.
Labor Commissioner Lindsay Kurrle says the initial numbers for January show the state's economy is headed in a positive direction.
Unemployment in Vermont's 17 labor markets ranged from a low of 2.6 percent in the Burlington-South Burlington area, White River Junction and Woodstock to a high of 7 percent in Derby.
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