ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia's unemployment rate has dropped to 7.7 percent.

The Georgia Department of Labor early Thursday morning announced the new October jobless figure.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 7.7 percent is down from 7.9 percent in September. It's also slightly below the 7.8 percent rate from a year ago.

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said the rate declined as the state saw "extremely strong" job growth in October.

Georgia's jobless rate remains above the national rate of 5.8 percent.