The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that Metro Augusta’s unemployment rate decreased to 6.6 percent in March, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 6.7 percent in February. The rate was 7.7 percent in March a year ago.

The rate declined because Augusta employers created more jobs and laid off fewer workers.

The number of jobs increased to 216,700 in March, up by 700, or 0.3 percent, from 216,000 in February. The job gains came mostly in education and health services and professional and business services, along with the goods-producing sector, which includes mining, logging, and construction. Over the year, the number of jobs decreased by 2,600, or 1.2 percent, from 219,300 in March 2013. Most of the decrease came in government and professional and business services.

There were 1,167 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in March, a drop of 621, or 34.7 percent, from 1,788 in February. Most of the decline in claims came in manufacturing, construction, and administrative and support services. There were 1,319 claims in March 2013.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.1 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 9.4 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March was 7.0 percent, down from 7.1 percent in February. The rate was 8.4 percent in March a year ago.