The statewide unemployment rate has dropped to 7.4 percent, the lowest level in five years, according to preliminary figures released Thurs., Dec. 19, by the New York State Department of Labor. The state's economy added 4,300 private sector jobs since Nov. 2012, raising New York's private sector job count to nearly 7.5 million, another all-time high. In addition, the state’s unemployment rate fell to its lowest level since early 2009, according to the department. Over the past year, the private sector grew most rapidly in metropolitan areas, including New York City, Long Island and the greater Buffalo area. The Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown were the only areas in the state to lose private sector jobs in the past year.