The state’s unemployment rate held at 6.1 percent in February, as the pool of unemployed Iowans increased slightly to 102,200. The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 8.9 percent in February, compared with 9 percent the prior month, marking the nation’s lowest jobless rate since April 2009. The total number of working Iowans advanced to 1,578,900, the highest figure recorded since April 2009. Total nonfarm employment in the state rose to 1,477,100, with the leisure and hospitality sector leading the way with a gain of 2,500 jobs. Seven hundred jobs were lost in the education and health care sectors.