The unemployment rate for Honolulu fell to 5.1 percent in March, tying it for 9th lowest among the nation’s metropolitan areas, according a report released today. Honolulu’s jobless rate was down from 5.3 percent in February and 5.6 percent in March 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

The 5.1 percent rate was the lowest since 4.3 percent in December of 2008, according to the report.

Honolulu tied with Manchester, N.H., and Omaha, Neb., which also registered jobless rates of 5.1 percent. The BLS surveys 372 metro areas for the report.

The number of Hawaii unemployed in March fell to 22,500 from 23,500 in February. The total workforce, which includes employed and unemployed workers, grew to 446,000 in March from 444,200 in February.

The unemployment rate by metro area is not adjusted for seasonal variations. The statewide non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March was 6.1 percent. The seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 6.3 percent.