The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the preliminary unemployment rate in metro Albany declined to 9.9 percent in August, down four-tenths of a percentage point from 10.3 percent in July. The rate was 10.8 percent in August 2011.

The rate decreased because there were 211 fewer layoffs in manufacturing, administrative and support services, and health care and social assistance. Also, the metro labor force declined by 926, partially because some students left summer jobs to return to school.

Metro Athens continued to have the lowest area jobless rate at 6.7 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha Regional Commission had the highest at 12.2 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 9.2 percent in August, unchanged from July. The jobless rate was 9.9 percent in August a year ago.

The number of jobs in the state rose by 25,100, or six-tenths of a percentage point, from 3,914,100 in July to 3,939,200 in August. Georgia has created 49,700 jobs since August 2011 when there were 3,889,500 jobs.

In metro Albany, jobs increased to 59,700 in August, up by 400 from July, and up by 500 from 59,200 in August 2011.