By TODD STACY, Alabama Daily News
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama’s unemployment rate held at 2.6% in August, a record low for the state’s jobless rating.
August’s rate represents 58,958 unemployed persons while 2,293,627 are counted as employed. A year prior, Alabama’s unemployment rate was 3.3%. A full 67,881 Alabamians have become employed over the last year.
“Alabama continues to maintain its record-setting recovery with this month’s numbers,” Gov. Kay Ivey said in a new release announcing the numbers. “All of our metrics continue to move in the right direction, and we’re seeing more and more people joining our labor force. This positive news displays that Alabamians are confident they can land a job. Opportunities are abound in Alabama, and we’re proud of our continued progress.”
The unemployment rate measures the number of Alabamians who are actively seeking work.
Wage and salary employment increased in August by 1,500.
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates in were: Shelby, 2%; Marshall and Cullman, 2.2%; and Morgan, Limestone, Chilton and Blount, 2.3%.
Counties with the highest unemployment were: Wilcox, 10%; Lowndes, 7.4%; and Perry, at 7.2%.
Major cities with the lowest unemployment were: Vestavia Hills, 1.6%; Homewood and Trussville, 1.8%; and Alabaster and Hoover, 1.9%.
Major cities with the highest unemployment rates were: Selma, 8.5%, Prichard, 6.5%; and Anniston, 4.6%.
“We continue to add jobs to our economy at a good pace,” said Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington. “Right now, there are around two available jobs for every unemployed person. Our construction industry is thriving, and growing construction employment generally tends to predict positive economic growth.”
