The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Columbus’ unemployment rate for April was 6.7 percent, down three-tenths of a percentage point from 7.0 percent in March. This is the lowest the rate has been since July 2008 when it was 6.7 percent. The rate in April 2014 was 7.2 percent.

The rate declined as employers added jobs and laid off fewer workers. 

The number of jobs in Columbus increased by 800, or 0.7 percent, in April to 124,400, up from 123,600 in March. Most of the job gains came in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction. 

And, there was an over-the-year gain of 1,300 jobs, or 1.1 percent, from 123,100 in April 2014. Most of the job growth came in professional and business services, education and health services, and leisure and hospitality.  

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 51, or 7.0 percent, to 681 in April, down from 732 in March. Most of the decrease came in accommodations and food services and wholesale trade. Over the year, claims were down by 101, or 12.9 percent, from 782 filed in April 2014.     

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.7 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha and the River Valley regions had the highest at 7.3 percent. 

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for April was 6.3 percent, unchanged from March. It was 7.3 percent in April 2014.