NASHVILLE (AP) — State officials say the number of employed persons in Tennessee is the most in four years.

Officials said the 2.8 million Tennesseans with jobs in January is the most since March 2008. State labor officials cited the figure Thursday as they announced a Tennessee unemployment rate of 8.2 percent, down from 8.5 percent in December.

The national rate was 8.3 percent. The Tennessee figure was below the U.S. rate for the first time since November 2010.

The state's number of unemployed persons, 257,500, was the fewest since November 2008.

From November to December, the biggest job gain in Tennessee was 3,900 in professional and business services.