Alabama’s October unemployment rate falls to all-time record low

0
13
jobless rate unemployment jobs

Alabama’s unemployment rate figures for October are in, and the state has officially reached the lowest rate it’s ever had.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey made the announcement Friday morning that according to the preliminary, seasonally adjusted numbers, October unemployment rate was 3.6%, down from September’s previous record-tying rate of 3.8%, and well below October 2016’s rate of 6.1%.

“We had great news last month, when we announced that Alabama’s unemployment rate had tied its lowest ever. Today, our news is even bigger! Alabama’s unemployment rate has dropped even more, registering a new record low!” Ivey exclaimed in a statement.  “What we are doing is working, and as a result, the people of Alabama are working.”

October’s rate represents 77,358 unemployed persons, the lowest number ever recorded, compared to 82,562 in September and 133,875 in October 2016.

Ivey continued, “Additionally, today’s numbers show that we currently have the fewest number of unemployed people in history, measuring some 77,000; but that means 77,000 Alabamians, men and women, are still without work. I will persist in my efforts to put every Alabamian who wants to work in a good paying job by recruiting high-wage, high-skill industries to Alabama.”

“As we continue to see our unemployment rate drop, Alabama’s businesses continue to hire and support real jobs in our economy,” said Fitzgerald Washington, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Labor. “Our wage and salary employment figures are currently at the third highest level since we began keeping records.  There are nearly 30,000 more jobs today than there were in October of last year. Through job fairs and the services provided at our Career Centers located throughout the state, we are helping employers find the employees they are looking for.”

Screen Shot 2017-11-17 at 9.46.58 PMCounties with the lowest unemployment rates are:

  • Shelby County: 2.6%
  • Marshall, Madison, Lee, and Cullman Counties: 3.0%
  • Tuscaloosa and Elmore Counties: 3.1%

Counties with the highest unemployment rates are:

  • Wilcox County: 8.9%
  • Clarke County: 6.6%
  • Lowndes County: 6.4%

Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are:

  • Alabaster, Homewood and Vestavia Hills: 2.4%
  • Hoover: 2.6%
  • Madison: 2.7%

Major cities with the highest unemployment rates are:

  • Prichard and Selma: 6.5%
  • Anniston: 4.9%
  • Bessemer: 4.8%