ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia's unemployment rate has declined to 7.3 percent.

State labor officials say this marks the seventh consecutive month that Georgia's jobless rate has declined.

The new seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January, the latest month figures are available, was released early Thursday morning. It is down from 7.4 percent in December and 8.6 percent in January a year ago.

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler says the rate fell because nearly 16,000 more Georgians were employed. Also, the number of new layoffs for January fell to the lowest level in eight years.