ALBANY, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) – The New York State Department of Labor released on Tuesday, March 28 the preliminary local unemployment numbers for the area for the month of February.

In total, unemployment in New York State held steady at 4.2%, while the Utica-Rome area dipped four-tenths of a point, to 4.1%.

Herkimer, Oneida and Otsego Counties all experienced a drop in their unemployment figures from January. Herkimer County unemployment dropped 0.6 percent to 4.8%. Otsego also saw a .6% drop to 4.4%, while Oneida County saw a .4% decline, to 3.9%.

In Central New York, Hamilton County currently has the highest rate of unemployment at 6.8%, enough for second highest rate in the state behind Bronx County’s 7.5%. Currently, Tompkins County has the lowest rate in the state, at just 2.9%.