The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that Metro Atlanta’s unemployment rate declined to 6.8 percent in March, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 6.9 percent in February. The rate was 8.0 percent in March a year ago.

The rate declined because Metro Atlanta employers created more jobs and laid off fewer workers.

The number of jobs increased to 2,427,100 in March, up by 17,500, or 0.7 percent, from 2,409,600 in February. Most of the job gains came in leisure and hospitality, 6,200; professional and business services, 5,900; trade, transportation and warehousing, 3,700; construction, 900; government, 800; and information services, 700.

Over the year, the number of jobs increased by 51,500, or a 2.2 percent increase, from 2,375,600 jobs in March 2013. The big job gainers were trade, transportation and warehousing, 16,400; professional and business services, 12,700; leisure and hospitality, 10,500; construction, 6,000; education and health services, 5,300; and information services, 1,200. Government lost 2,300 jobs.

There were 13,982 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in March, a drop of 3,915, or 21.9 percent, from 17,897 in February. Most of the decline in claims came in construction, 1,114; manufacturing, 1,014; and administrative and support services, 619. There were 17,222 claims filed in March 2013.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.1 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 9.4 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March was 7.0 percent, down from 7.1 percent in February. The rate was 8.4 percent in March a year ago.