Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Seasonal factors pushed unemployment rates across the region higher in the final month of 2018.

Data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development put the jobless rate for the Rochester area in December at 2.5-percent. That's up 7-tenths of a point from November, but it was down a 10th of a point when compared to December 2017. It was also the lowest rate reported for Olmsted County in the month of December since 1999.

Olmsted County rate reclaimed its status as having the lowest jobless rate in the region last month. The next closest was Winona County at 2.7-percent. Every county in southeastern Minnesota saw higher unemployment rates in December due to seasonal influences. The highest rate was found in Wabasha County at 3.9-percent, which was 1.3 percentage points above the jobless rate from previous December.

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