Alabama’s labor force participation rate reportedly remained steady at 57% throughout October, according to the Alabama Department of Labor.
The Department also reported that the total private average weekly wage increased as did the percentage of prime age workers (25-54 years old) participating in the workforce, with a new participation rate of 78.1%.
“We are continuing to see positive growth in our prime-age worker labor force participation rate, with more than three out of every four prime-age Alabamians holding down a job,” said Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington.
“One of the main components of the labor force participation rate is the state’s total population, and Alabama has a larger portion of retired workers,” he said. “We will continue to work to bring in other, more traditionally underutilized segments of the population to ensure that we are maximizing our workforce.”
“Additionally, Alabamians are earning more money – this month we saw our average weekly wages rise to a new record high of $1,027.76.”
The Department also released a list of counties and major cities within Alabama that currently have the lowest unemployment rates.
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates in the state are:
- Shelby County-1.8%
- Morgan County-1.9%
- Limestone County-1.9%
- Cullman County-1.9%
- Chilton County-1.9%
Major cities with the lowest unemployment in the state are:
- Alabaster-1.6%
- Homewood-1.6%
- Vestavia Hills-1.6%
- Hoover-1.7%
- Madison-1.7%
- Trussville-1.7%
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.
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