US Jobless Rate Falls to a 17-Year Low

Economy rebounds after hurricanes, adding 261,000 new jobs in October

Workers at the Hollywood Bed Frame Company attend an event to mark the company's upcoming expansion, which will double the manufacturer's workforce, adding 100 new local jobs, at the company's factory in Commerce, Calif., on April 14, 2017. ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—U.S. jobs growth rebounded in October as labor market activity normalized after hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The restaurant industry recorded the highest growth, as waiters, chefs, and bartenders headed back to work in Texas and Florida.

U.S. employers added 261,000 jobs in October and the unemployment rate fell to 3.7 percent, the lowest since 2000, according to the Labor Department report published on Nov. 3.