Long Island's unemployment rate fell in November compared to the same month last year, newly released data show.

The Island's unemployment rate dropped to 3% last month, down 0.4 percentage points from a rate of 3.4% in November 2023, according to state Labor Department data published Monday. On a month-to-month basis, the rate was unchanged from October.

At the county level, Nassau's jobless rate decreased to 2.9% last month from 3.3% a year ago. In Suffolk, the rate fell to 3.1%, down from 3.6% in November 2023, a decline of 0.5 percentage points.

Declining unemployment rates often signal a strong economy, as more residents secure jobs, reducing the total number of jobless Islanders.

However, last month's data also show a decrease in the number of employed residents and the overall labor force.

The labor force -- the sum of all employed Long Islanders and those out of work but actively seeking employment -- shrank to 1.52 million in November, down from 1.55 million in September 2023.