Total employment in the Spokane-Spokane Valley Metropolitan Statistical Area decreased by 500 jobs for the 12 months ending in March, according to preliminary data from the Washington state Employment Security Department.

From February to March, the job count ticked down by 1,400 jobs.

The March unemployment rate for the MSA, which includes Spokane, Pend Oreille, and Stevens counties, came in at 4.6%, down from 5.2% in the year-earlier month, and 5.9% in February.

For comparison, the state’s unemployment rate in March was 4.5%, down from 4.7% in the year-earlier month, and 5% in February.

Of the state’s roughly 4 million-person labor force, the Spokane-Spokane Valley MSA accounted for about 271,000 people, down from the year-earlier total of about 284,000 people.