For the first time since May, the unemployment rate in Erie fell in November.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the month was 7.6 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from October.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate in neighboring Crawford County fell from 7.6 to 7.5 percent.

The latest numbers, released this morning by the state Department of Labor & Industry, show the impact of the holiday shopping season. Employment in the retail sector gained 800 jobs for a total of 15,900.

Manufacturing employment was up slightly, rising from 22,000 to 22,100.