ATLANTA - State labor officials say Georgia's unemployment rate has dropped to 7 percent, the lowest rate since September 2008.

The Georgia Department of Labor announced the new seasonally adjusted jobless rate on Thursday.

The rate is down from 7.1 percent in February and 8.4 percent in March a year ago.

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said the new number represents the ninth consecutive month that Georgia's unemployment rate has dropped.

He said the rate went down because employers are creating more jobs and laying off fewer workers.

Butler said the state added 27,400 jobs - the most February-to-March job growth Georgia has seen in 10 years.