JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri’s unemployment has fallen again and now is at its lowest point in almost seven years.

The state Department of Economic Development on Tuesday released data showing the seasonally adjusted jobless rate dropped to 5.4 percent in December, its lowest rate since April 2008.

Unemployment has continued to drop slightly in recent months, from 5.9 percent in October to 5.6 percent in November.

Seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment grew by 1,700 jobs in December, bringing the number of new jobs for 2014 at about 44,700.

That’s the largest annual growth from December-to-December since 1997.