Photo by Glyn Lowe Photos

The Washington Metropolitan Division added nearly 25,000 jobs in October, according to newly released numbers by the D.C. Department of Employment Services.

The 24,700 new positions broke down into 17,500 private sector jobs and 7,200 public sector jobs. Private sectors that had job gains over the course of the month, in descending order, are professional and business services; trade, transportation, and utilities; educational and health services; financial activities; leisure and hospitality; and manufacturing.

The unemployment rate for the Washington Metro Division in October was unchanged from September, staying at 4.3 percent. In what DOES calls the “Suburban Ring”—the communities surrounding the city—the unemployment rate was slightly lower at 4 percent, a 0.1 percent increase from September.

The numbers do not break down the rates by race. A report released earlier this year found that D.C.’s black unemployment rate is the highest in the country at 13.6 percent.

The Washington Metro Division extends far beyond city limits: in addition to D.C. it includes the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park in Virginia, as well the counties of Arlington, Clarke, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudon, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Warren, Rappahannock and Culpeper. It also includes the Maryland counties of Calvert, Charles, and Prince Georges, and West Virginia’s Jefferson County.

Last week, data show that commuters into D.C. are more likely to have higher-paying jobs here than city residents.