ATLANTA (AP) — State labor officials say metro Atlanta's jobless rate declined to 6.8 percent in December.

The Georgia Department of Labor announced the new number on Thursday.

They said it was down two-tenths of a percentage point from 7.0 percent in November, and also below the 8.4 percent rate from December a year ago.

State officials say the rate dropped mainly because 11,192 more Atlanta residents were employed in December, mostly due to seasonal hiring in retail trade, transportation and warehousing.

Statewide, metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.2 percent.

The metro area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.