ATLANTA (AP) — State labor officials say Georgia's unemployment rate has dropped 8.6 percent, its lowest level in the past four years.

Georgia's seasonally adjusted jobless rate for February was the lowest since January 2009, down from 8.7 percent in January.

The Georgia Department of Labor announced the February numbers early Thursday.

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler says Georgia employers have continued to create jobs and lay off fewer workers. He said there were fewer workers laid off and filing first-time claims for unemployment insurance in February than at any time since the recession began in 2007.

Officials say most of the recent job growth came in professional and business services; education and health care; and information services.