ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Valdosta’s unemployment rate for March was 6.2 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 6.4 percent in February. The rate in March 2014 was 7.3 percent.

The rate declined as the number of unemployed residents decreased by 172 to 3,885 from 4,057 in February.

The number of jobs in Valdosta was unchanged at 55,300 from February to March. However, there was an over-the-year gain of 1,200 jobs, or 2.2 percent, from 54,100 in March 2014. Most of the job growth came in retail trade, transportation and warehousing, and the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.

There were 21, or 7.6 percent, more new claims for unemployment insurance filed in March, as the number increased to 296 from 275 in February. Most of the increase in claims came in administrative and support services. Over the year, claims were down by 110, or 27.1 percent, from 406 filed in March 2014.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.9 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7.8 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for March was 6.3 percent, unchanged from February. It was 7.3 percent in March 2014.