The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that Metro Athens’ unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.1 percent from February to March, but it was down from 6.0 percent a year ago.

While the rate was unchanged in March, Athens employers created more jobs and laid off fewer workers.

The number of jobs increased to 89,800 in March, up by 100, or 0.1 percent, from 89,700 in February. The job gains came mostly in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and state government. Over the year, the number of jobs increased by 1,300, or 1.5 percent, from 88,500 in March 2013. Most of the increase came in trade, transportation, and warehousing, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality.

There were 480 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in March, a drop of 28 from 508 in February. Most of the decline in claims came in construction, administrative and support services, and retail trade. There were 485 claims in March 2013.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.1 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 9.4 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March was 7.0 percent, down from 7.1 percent in February. The rate was 8.4 percent in March a year ago.