Colorado unemployment rate drops to 5.3 pct.

Photo: Unemployment (iStock)Colorado’s unemployment fell again in the latest monthly report from the state labor department.

July’s jobless rate was 5.3 percent, down .2 percent from June, and the lowest in the state in almost six years.

The national unemployment rate is 6.2 percent.

Colorado added 5,500 jobs in July, all of it in the private sector.

Government jobs fell by 500 last month.

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Chief Economist Alexandra Hall says job gains were seen all across the state with some exceptions.

"Pueblo and Grand Junction are areas that are still struggling to get back to their previous employment levels," she said.

Construction and health services led the gains in employment in the state last month.

July was the 33rd straight month of job gains in the state, putting Colorado fifth in the country for job growth.

"We’re moving up you know, a few years ago and up until relatively recently our unemployment rate has kept us in the middle of all states," Hall said.