The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that Metro Augusta’s unemployment rate decreased to 6.7 percent in February, down seven-tenths of a percentage point from 7.4 percent in January. The rate was 8.4 percent in February a year ago.

The rate declined because Augusta employers created 500 new jobs and reduced the number of new layoffs by 11.2 percent.

The number of jobs increased to 215,800 in February, up 0.2 percent, from 215,300 in January. The job gains came mostly in leisure and hospitality and state government. Over the year, the number of jobs decreased by 1,900, or 0.9 percent, from 217,700 in February 2013. Most of the decrease came in government, professional and business services, and education and health care.

There were 1,788 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in February, a drop of 225 from 2,013 in January. Most of the decline in claims came in administrative and support services, accommodations and food services, and wholesale and retail trade. There were 1,338 claims in February 2013.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.1 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 9.7 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February was 7.1 percent, down from 7.3 percent in January. The rate was 8.5 percent in February a year ago.