Oklahoma’s jobless rate was one of the lowest in the nation in August, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) reported last week.

According to the OESC, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 3.2% for August, which is the eighth lowest unemployment rate in the United States.

In July, the agency reported a 3.5% unemployment rate, also ranking eighth lowest.

“We are thrilled to see that Oklahoma’s unemployment rate for August is 3.2% and the eighth lowest in the nation,” Shelley Zumwalt, OESC Executive Director, stated in a press release. “This is the lowest unemployment rate our state has had since March 2020. The continued decline on this data point shows Oklahoma is seeing strong returns on the administration’s decisive actions to prioritize the state’s economic security.”

Preliminary employment numbers for August also show that the state added more than 3,300 jobs, putting the total number of employed Oklahomans at more than 1.8 million - higher than the amount from February 2020.

“This is great news for business owners and the workforce,” said Zumwalt. “The workforce is continuing to grow, and the 1.8 million in the workforce is not only better than pre-pandemic numbers, it’s also the highest number of state citizens participating in the workforce the state has ever seen.”