The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the preliminary unemployment rate in metro Valdosta declined to 8.7 percent in August, down four-tenths of a percentage point from 9.1 percent in July. The rate was 9.4 percent in August 2011.

The rate decreased because there were 36 fewer layoffs in manufacturing and wholesale and retail trade. Also, the metro labor force declined by 275, 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 Valdosta, jobs increased to 52,200 in August, up by 700 from July, and up by 900 from 51,300 in August 2011.