Georgia set new records for both the size of its labor force and the number of people employed during August, while the state’s unemployment rate dropped to its lowest level in two and a half years.

The Georgia Department of Labor reported Thursday that the state’s unemployment rate fell to 3.2 percent in August, down from 3.3 percent in July and 3.4 percent a year ago. Georgia’s rate was also 0.9 percentage points below the national unemployment rate.

Georgia’s labor force increased by nearly 9,500 people during August, reaching an all-time high of 5,490,319. The number of employed Georgians climbed by more than 13,000 to a record 5,314,822. Over the past year, employment has increased by more than 76,000.

The number of unemployed Georgians declined by more than 3,500 during August to 175,497, while the state’s total number of jobs increased by 8,000 to approximately 4.99 million. Despite the monthly improvement, Georgia had 7,300 fewer jobs than it did one year earlier.

Among industries adding the most jobs during August were administrative and support services and state government, each gaining 3,200 jobs. Retail trade added 2,200, while durable goods manufacturing and health care and social assistance each added 1,300.

Over the past year, health care and social assistance recorded the largest increase, adding 19,100 jobs. Meanwhile, professional and technical services, federal government, non-durable goods manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, and construction recorded year-over-year declines.

Initial unemployment claims also declined in August, falling by more than 3,300 from July and by nearly 1,800 compared with a year earlier.

The figures are statewide. Updated county-level unemployment figures, including numbers for Chattooga County and surrounding Northwest Georgia counties, are released separately by the Georgia Department of Labor.