The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that metro Valdosta’s unemployment rate decreased to 7.9 percent in August, down eight-tenths of a percentage point from 8.7 percent in July. The rate was 8.6 percent in August a year ago.

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

There were 425 new layoffs, represented by initial claims for unemployment insurance, which are 130, or 23.4 percent, fewer than the 555 in July. Much of the decline came in trade, transportation and warehousing.

Over-the-year, the number of initial claims was down by 239, or 36 percent, from 664 in August 2012. Reductions were mostly in retail trade, manufacturing, construction, accommodations and food services, and administrative and support services.

There were 54,200 jobs in metro Valdosta in August, up by 200, or 0.7 percent, from 54,000 in July. The increase came mostly in state and local government.

Metro Valdosta gained 400 jobs, or 0.4 percent, since August 2012 when there were 53,800. The gains were mostly in 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, declined by 937 to 66,819 in August, down from 67,756 in July. And, it was also down by 859 from 67,678 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.