The preliminary unemployment rate in metro Gainesville declined to 9.0 percent in April, down five-tenths of a percentage point from a revised 9.5 percent in March, the Georgia Department of Labor reported today.

Meanwhile, the number of unemployed workers in the metro area decreased to 7,830 down 532 from 8,362 in March.

Also in April, 910 laid-off workers in metro Gainesville filed initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits, a decrease of 854, or 48.4 percent, from 1,764 filed in April 2009.

Statewide, 60,661 laid-off workers filed initial claims, a decline of 23,685, or 28.1 percent, from 84,346 filed in April 2009. Most of the first time claims were filed in trade, manufacturing, construction, and administrative and support services.

The number of payroll jobs in metro Gainesville increased 100, or one-tenth of a percentage point, from 70,300 in March to 70,400.

The jobless rate in the Georgia Mountains region declined as well, down to 9.2 percent from 9.9 percent;

The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 10.4 percent in April, down one-tenth of a percentage point from a revised 10.5 percent in March. This is the 31st consecutive month Georgia has exceeded the national rate, which is now 9.9 percent.

The state's April jobless rate was up 1.2 percentage points from 9.2 percent at this same time last year. The jobless rate in metro Gainesville in April 2009 was 8.3 percent.

The state showed a modest increase in new jobs in April for the third consecutive month. The number of jobs increased 26,900, or seven-tenths of a percentage point, from 3,794,700 in March to 3,821,600. However, the number of jobs remains less than in April 2009, when there were 3,912,700 payroll jobs, 2.3 percent or 91,100 more than this year.

Local area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.