Unemployment in the Aleutians West Census Area went down in the month of July, according to the Alaska Department of Labor.

The jobless rate dropped from 8.5 percent to 7.3 percent. At the same time last year, unemployment was at 5.7 percent. Still, the Aleutians outperform the state rate, which jumped up to 7.7 percent in July.

The Aleutians West Census area has one of the most variable unemployment rates in the nation, bouncing regularly because of its small population, its large transient workforce, and the seasonal nature of the fishing industry.