The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the preliminary unemployment rate in Newton County declined to 9.6 percent in September, down four-tenths of a percentage point from a revised 10 percent in August. The rate was 12 percent in September 2011.

The rate declined primarily because the number of unemployment people decreased by 127, while the number of employed people increased by 742.

The preliminary unemployment rate in the Northeast Georgia area declined to 7.7 percent in September, down four-tenths of a percentage point from a revised 8.1 percent in August. The rate was 9.4 percent in September 2011.

The rate declined primarily because there were 289 fewer layoffs in construction, trade, transportation and warehousing, administrative and support services, and health care and social assistance, while 4,026 more people were employed.

All of the Northeast Georgia region, which is comprised of Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe and Walton counties, experienced unemployment drops from August to September.

Newton County has one of the highest unemployment rates in the region and falls just behind Elbert County, which had a 10.9 rate.

Metro Athens continued to have the lowest area jobless rate at 6.4 percent, while metro Dalton had the highest at 11.2 percent.

In the metro Atlanta area, the preliminary unemployment rate declined to 8.4 percent in September, down four-tenths of a percentage point from a revised 8.8 percent in August. The rate was 9.7 percent in September 2011.

The rate declined primarily because of 4,446 fewer layoffs in manufacturing, construction, trade, administrative and support services, and accommodations and food services, plus 31,606 more people were employed.

Meanwhile, Georgia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 9.0 percent in September, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 9.2 percent in August. The jobless rate was 9.8 percent in September a year ago.

While the state lost 400 jobs from August to September, it actually gained 61,800 jobs since the 3,877,600 in September of 2011, climbing to 3,939,400.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at dol.state.ga.us.