ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that metro Savannah’s unemployment rate declined to 7.1 percent in April, down three-tenths of a percentage point from 7.4 percent in March. The rate was 8.2 percent in April a year ago.

The rate declined as the number of jobs in metro Savannah increased by 1,300 to 159,200, up from 157,900 in March. Most of the growth came in leisure and hospitality, trade and transportation, and education and health services.

Over-the-year, metro Savannah added 1,600 jobs, or 1.0 percent, from 157,600 in April 2012. Most of the growth was in leisure and hospitality, trade and transportation, manufacturing, and local government.

The unemployment rate in the Coastal Georgia region declined to 7.9 percent in April, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 8.1 percent in March. The rate was 8.6 percent in April a year ago.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.6 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 10.3 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April was 8.2 percent, down from 8.4 percent in March. The rate was 9.1 percent in April a year ago.