ATLANTA - State labor officials say metro Atlanta's unemployment rate has declined to 6.9 percent.

The February jobless rate was released early this morning by the Georgia Department of Labor.

The rate is down two-tenths of a percentage point from 7.1 percent in January and 8.4 percent from February a year ago.

State officials say the rate declined because there were 23.3 percent fewer new layoffs in the metro Area.

Elsewhere in Georgia, metro Athens had the lowest jobless rate among metro areas at 5.1 percent.

The Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest rate at 9.7 percent.

The local area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.