Alabama ends 2019 maintaining record low unemployment rate

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Alabama’s ended 2019 maintaining the lowest unemployment rate ever recorded in the state— 2.7%, the Department of Labor announced Friday.

“I’m so proud to be able to close out this decade with record-breaking economic measures,” said Governor Kay Ivey. “All year long, we’ve had good news to share, and to be able to end the year, and the decade, on such a positive note is wonderful. Earlier this year, Alabama had never reported an unemployment rate lower than 3.0%, and now we’ve had one for the last three months! Nearly 84,000 more people have jobs now than last year. I’m excited about the path that Alabama is on, and the positive impacts this news has on our people.”

December’s rate represents 2,204,740 employed Alabamians.

“For the eleventh month in a row, our job growth has met or surpassed the nation’s,” added Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington. “We’ve gained over 46,000 jobs since last December, and we continue to see employers posting job ads.

Washington continued, “Average weekly wages showed significant growth this month, registering at an all-time high. Additionally, we saw many sectors and subsectors reach all-time wage highs, including manufacturing, with a monthly wage increase of $25.57, and financial activities, with a monthly wage increase of $50.78.”

Unemployment rate by county: