WASHINGTON - The US economy added 248,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate fell to 5.9 percent, the Labor Department said Friday.

Except August, the job gains have been above 200,000 for seven months. After revision, employment gains were 69,000 more than previously reported in July and August.

The labor force participation rate was essentially unchanged at 62.7 percent. The number of long-term unemployed, or those who stay jobless for 27 weeks or more, was little changed at three million, accounting for 31.9 percent of the unemployed.