The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that Metro Columbus’ unemployment rate decreased to 7.8 percent in February, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 8.0 percent in January. The rate was 8.9 percent in February a year ago.

The rate declined because Columbus employers created 700 new jobs and reduced the number of new layoffs by 34.1 percent.

The number of jobs increased to 120,800 in February, up 0.6 percent, from 120,100 in January. The job gains came mostly in state government, leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and finance and insurance. Over the year, the number of jobs increased by 500, or 0.4 percent, from 120,300 in February 2013. Most of the increase came in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and finance and insurance.

There were 1,148 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in February, a drop of 593 from 1,741 in January. Most of the decline in claims came in accommodations and food services, administrative and support services, and trade, transportation, and warehousing. There were 882 claims in February 2013.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.1 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 9.7 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February was 7.1 percent, down from 7.3 percent in January. The rate was 8.5 percent in February a year ago.