ATLANTA - Metro Atlanta's unemployment rate dropped to 8.6 percent in July, authorities said.
That's down two-tenths of a percentage point from 8.8 percent in June. It was also below the jobless rate of 9.3 percent in July a year ago.
The new number was released today by the Georgia Department of Labor.
State officials say the rate dropped as 15,945 more people became employed in metro Atlanta in July than in June.
More private-sector jobs were added in metro Atlanta, which gained 9,400 jobs in July, officials said. However, governments shed 10,800 jobs, which left an overall net loss of 1,400 jobs.
The private sector job increases came in construction, 3,200; trade and transportation, 2,700; education and health services, 1,400; leisure and hospitality, 1,200; information services, 700; manufacturing, 600; and financial services, 300.
Metro Athens had the state's lowest area jobless rate at 6.9 percent. Metro Dalton and the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region tied for the highest at 12.3 percent.
The unemployment figures for the metro areas are not seasonally adjusted.