The Georgia Department of Labor reported Thursday that the unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains area declined to 4.5 percent in April, down 0.1 percent from a revised 4.6 percent in March. However, the rate was up from 3.3 percent in April 2007.

The agency also reported that the unemployment rate in the metro Gainesville area, which is all of Hall County, declined to 4.2 percent in April, down 0.2 percent from a revised 4.4 percent in March. The rate compares with 3.1 percent in April 2007.

Meanwhile, the state’s unemployment rate declined to 5 percent in April, down 0.2 percent from a revised 5.2 percent in March. The rate was up 1 percent over the year, from 4 percent in April 2007.

The current state rate, which is 0.2 percent higher than the U.S. unadjusted rate of 4.8 percent, continued to top the national rate for the third consecutive month.

While data released last week showed a rise in unemployment insurance claims, preliminary data from March to April show Georgia gained 5,300 payroll jobs, an increase of 0.1 percent.

The data includes workers who hold more than one job.