The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in October was 2.7 percent, a 0.6 percentage point increase from a year earlier but still one of the lowest in the country.

The October unemployment rate also was slightly higher than the 2.6 percent mark in September and the highest monthly rate since September 2005. Hawai'i remained second behind Idaho, which reported a 2.5 percent unemployment rate last month, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate last month remained unchanged from September at 4.7 percent, but higher than the 4.4 percent in October 2006.

The seasonally adjusted statewide labor force was 646,700 last month and was comprised of 629,400 employed and 17,350 unemployed. The state said the slight unemployment increase in October was the result of 1,800 job losses in public and private education services.

Labor director Darwin Ching said the stable unemployment rate is a reflection of the state's strong economy.

"Hawai'i's private sector employers continue to ensure that Hawai'i sustains one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation," Ching said.

The non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose on all islands last month when compared with the same period last year. The statewide unemployment rate is adjusted for seasonal variations such as summer hiring and cannot be directly compared with county numbers, which are not seasonally adjusted.

Maui County reported a 3.1 percent non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in October, up from the 1.8 percent in 2006, while Kaua'i saw its rate go from 1.9 percent in 2006 to 2.4 percent this October. Hawai'i County's rate jumped from 2.2 percent in October 2006 to 3.2 percent last month, and Honolulu saw its rate go from 1.9 percent last year to 2.4 percent this October.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.