The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that metro Albany’s unemployment rate decreased to 9.1 percent in August, down seven-tenths of a percentage point from 9.8 percent in July. The rate was 9.7 percent in August a year ago.

The rate dropped because there was a significant reduction in layoffs and a slight increase in the number of jobs.

There were 683 new layoffs, represented by initial claims for unemployment insurance, which are 206, or 23.2 percent, fewer than the 889 in July. Much of the decline came in manufacturing, with additional reductions in construction and accommodations and food services.

Over-the-year, the number of initial claims was down by 98, or 12.5 percent, from 781 in August 2012. Reductions were mostly in accommodations and food services, manufacturing, professional and technical services, educational services and trade.

There were 61,100 jobs in metro Albany in August, up by 100, or two-tenth of a percentage point, from 61,000 in July. The increase came in the goods-producing sector, including manufacturing and construction.

Metro Albany lost 400 jobs, or 0.7 percent, since August 2012 when there were 61,500. The losses came in federal and local government.

The labor force, which is the number of people employed plus those unemployed but actively looking for work, declined by 1,183 to 73,183 in August, down from 74,366 in July. And, it was also down by 1,752 from 74,935 in August 2012.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 6.1 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 11.9 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for August was 8.7 percent, down from 8.8 percent in July. The rate was 9.0 percent in August a year ago.