The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that Metro Macon’s unemployment rate decreased to 7.5 percent in February, down three-tenths of a percentage point from 7.8 percent in January. The rate was 9.1 percent in February a year ago.

The rate declined because Macon employers created 400 new jobs and reduced the number of new layoffs by 28.7 percent.

The number of jobs increased to 98,000 in February, up 0.4 percent, from 97,600 in January. The job gains came mostly in professional and business services, educational and health services, trade, transportation, and warehousing, and the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction. Over the year, the number of jobs increased by 200, or 0.2 percent, from 97,800 in February 2013. Most of the increase came in trade, transportation, and warehousing.

There were 914 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in February, a drop of 368 from 1,282 in January. Most of the decline in claims came in trade, transportation, and warehousing, administrative and support services, construction, and accommodations and food services. There were 954 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.