The unemployment rate in Strongsville has dropped again, keeping the city's percentage of out-of-work residents among the lowest in the county and the state.

Figures from the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services show unemployment in Strongsville was at 5.3 percent in December -- down from 5.8 percent in September.

The rate was the lowest in Cuyahoga County among cities with populations of 25,000 or more. Lakewood had 5.7 percent unemployment in December, Westlake was at 5.5 percent and North Royalton stood at 5.8 percent.

"That's excellent news," Council President Mike Daymut said. "It just shows the city is willing to work with the business community to keep it strong."

The figures show that 1,300 people among Strongsville's civilian labor force of 24,000 were unemployed in December. 

The only cities to have a lower unemployment rate in Ohio were Dublin (4.7 percent,) Upper Arlington (4.9 percent), Westerville (5.1 percent) and Gahanna (5.2 percent).

For Cuyahoga County as a whole, the jobless rate in December was 7.1 percent.