A new report says the Kansas unemployment rate edged lower in December to a seasonally adjusted 6.3%, despite the loss of about 5,600 seasonal jobs.

In its report Tuesday, the state Labor Department also says Kansas added 12,400 nonfarm jobs in the 12 months ending in December, including 12,000 in the private sector.

The December jobless rate compares with 6.5% in November and 6.8% in December 2010.

The department says December’s warm weather allowed increased construction activity across Kansas. There was also an increase in federal government hiring, which offset declines in the retail sector during the holiday season.

Linn County had the state’s highest unemployment rate at 12.3%. The lowest was 2.4% in Ness County.