RICHMOND — Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced this week that Virginia’s employment level reached 3,856,100 in December, the highest in the commonwealth’s history.

“Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.2 percent. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down 0.6 percentage point from December 2014 and remains below the national rate, which was at 5 percent in December. Virginia has created 96,500 net new jobs since … McAuliffe took office,” his office said in a press release.

December was the 21st consecutive month of year-over-year employment growth in the commonwealth, and at 1.5 percent, is the highest growth since September 2011, according to the release.

Once again, in December, Virginia had the lowest seasonally adjusted unemployment rate among the Southeast states and the fourth-best rate among states east of the Mississippi.

“I am proud of the success we are having creating new jobs and economic opportunities for Virginians across this commonwealth,” said McAuliffe. “Record employment levels and our sustained position as the state with the lowest unemployment rate in the Southeast are unquestionably good news — but we cannot afford to let up now.”