The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that metro Valdosta’s unemployment rate decreased to 8.7 percent in July, down four-tenths of a percentage point from 9.1 percent in June. The rate was also 9.1 percent in July a year ago.

The rate declined because 653 more residents became employed, pushing the total number to 61,908, plus there was an increase in the number of jobs

There were 54,000 jobs in July in metro Valdosta, up by 300 from 53,700 in June. Most of the job gains came in state government and trade and transportation. The area has gained 700 jobs since the 53,300 jobs in July 2012. The annual gains came mostly in the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction, along with retail trade and state and local government.

The labor force, which is the number of people employed plus those unemployed but actively looking for work, rose by 434 to 67,788 in July, up from 67,354 in June. It was down by 433 from 68,221 in July 2012.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 6.9 percent, while metro Dalton and the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region tied for the highest at 12.3 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July was 8.8 percent, up from 8.5 percent in June. The rate was 9.1 percent in July a year ago.