ALBANY - New York state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.9 percent in October, down from 5.3 percent in September, state Labor Department officials reported Thursday.

The private sector grew by 64,600 jobs from October 2004 to October 2005. The state unemployment rate the same time last year was 5.5 percent.

“This month the unemployment rates in New York state and New York City continued their long-term downward trend as both areas recorded their lowest October unemployment rates since 2000,” said David Trzaskos, director of the department's research and statistics division. “Also notable in October was that New York state's unemployment rate was lower than the nation's rate for the eighth month this year.”

The October 2005 unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in New York City, down from 6.1 percent in September, and 6.5 percent in October of last year. The national unemployment rate was 5 percent.

The October 2000 unemployment figure was 4.4 percent statewide and 5.5 percent in New York City.

Department officials said the educational and health service sector added 26,300 jobs, and professional and business service jobs jumped by 23,400. The manufacturing sector lost 16,000 jobs.

Among individual counties, the Bronx had the state's highest October unemployment rate at 7.5 percent. Outside the city, the highest rate was the 5.2 percent registered in Oswego County. The lowest unemployment rate, 2.8 percent, was found in Tompkins County.