The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Valdosta’s unemployment rate for December was 6.7 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 6.8 percent in November. The rate in December 2013 was 7.0 percent.

While the rate fell slightly, the number of jobs in Metro Valdosta declined to 54,800, down by 400 from 55,200 in November. Most of the job loss came in state government and the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.

However, there was an over-the-year gain of 700 jobs, or 1.3 percent, from 54,100 in December 2013. Most of the job growth came in trade, transportation and warehousing, along with state and federal government.

Also, there were 573 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in December, an increase of 194, or 51.2 percent, from 379 in November. Most of the increase in claims was because of seasonal temporary layoffs in manufacturing and construction, accommodations and food services, and administrative and support services. Over the year, claims were down by 67, or 10.5 percent, from 640 filed in December 2013.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.9 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.8 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for December was 6.9 percent, down from 7.2 percent in November. It was 7.4 percent in December 2013.

A national leader in job growth for the past two years, Georgia has been in the top 10 states for job creation every month since October 2012. That trend continued in December as the state added 108,200 new jobs, for a 2.7 percent growth rate since December 2013. That pushed the state’s job total to 4,196,400, the highest level since 4,202,100 in December 2007.