New data shows unemployment rate drop in every Alabama county

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October 16, 2015

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama’s seasonally adjusted September unemployment rate is 6.0%, down 0.2 percent from the previous month, according to numbers released by the Alabama Department of Labor on Friday. Every county in the state saw its jobless rate tick down.

“We are extremely pleased to see a decrease in our unemployment rate this month,” Governor Bentley said in a statement. “We are seeing steady improvement, especially in our wage and salary employment. Our economy is supporting more jobs than it has all year. Just this week, we have announced 470 new future jobs for two Alabama communities. Our efforts will continue until Alabama reaches full employment.”

The economy supported 1,958,800 jobs in September, the highest number this year and the most during that month since 2008. That number was identified by a Labor Department survey of roughly 19,000 Alabama employers. It represents a more statistically accurate assessment of the economy than the U.S. Census Bureau’s unemployment data, because the Labor Department’s survey sample size is much larger.

Alabama’s government sector saw the highest jump in employment (+7,400), as public education workers returned to work after the summer. The professional and business services sector (+1,700) and the education and health services sector (+1,400) also saw significant gains.

The biggest gains year over year were seen in the leisure and hospitality sector (+6,600), the education and health services sector (+6,000), and the construction sector (+4,400).

“Every county in Alabama experienced a decrease in their unemployment rates this month,” said Alabama Department of Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald Washington. “We have not seen this many jobs in September since 2008. The increase in wage and salary employment increase is proof that Governor’s Bentley’s efforts are working to get Alabama back to work.”

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby at 4.1%, Lee at 4.8%, and Elmore and Cullman at 5.0%.

A county by county map can be found below. (Click to enlarge).