Illinois’ unemployment rate fell to 8.8 percent in March, improving for the 14th consecutive month, the Illinois Department of Employment Security said Thursday.

The March rate was down one-tenth of a percentage point from February and is the lowest jobless rate since February 2009, when it was 8.6 percent.

There still were 582,100 Illinoisans without jobs in March.

IDES Director Maureen O’Donnell says the long-term data show “Illinois is moving in a positive direction.”

She says this is the longest sustained decline in Illinois unemployment since December 1994.

The national unemployment rate for March also was 8.8 percent.