Connecticut’s unemployment rate dropped below 6 percent for the first time since 2008, according the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Nutmeg State added 600 jobs and saw its unemployment rate drop to 5.7 percent in June. The month’s jobless rate was  0.3 percent below the revised May 2015 rate and was 0.8 percent lower than the June 2014 rate of 6.5 percent.

The number of Connecticut’s unemployed residents declined by 13,414 (-11 percent) to 108,979 since June 2014.

"Above trend private-sector job growth looks to be continuing, while the jobless rate has recently declined significantly," Andy Condon, director of the Office of Research, said in the report. "Connecticut’s unemployment rate, which is below 6 percent for the first time since August 2008, has not been this low since July 2008."

The state increased employment by 600 positions, now totaling an increase of 27,000 from June 2014.

The year-to-date Connecticut nonfarm job growth pace (seasonally adjusted) for the first half of 2015 is 13,800 compared with 11,900 for the first six months of 2014.

Only four of the ten major industry supersectors added jobs in June, as five declined and one was unchanged. The year-to-date Connecticut nonfarm job growth pace (seasonally adjusted) for the first half of 2015 is 13,800 compared with 11,900 for the first six months of 2014.

"These numbers represent another achievement reached, another marker that residents’ lives are improving, and another indicator that our economy continues to head in the right direction as a result of our efforts to create jobs," Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said in a statement. "We know that until everyone that wants a job has one, our work is not complete."