Alabama’s labor force participation rate was unchanged in June at 58% and is up by half a percentage point from June 2024, the Alabama Department of Workforce said today.
“As our numbers continue to increase, we are making real changes to Alabama’s workforce,” Workforce Secretary Greg Reed said in a written statement. “We are continuously setting new economic records and strengthening our state. Our successes in these areas will benefit all Alabamians.”
Nationally, the participation rate was 62.3% in June.
The labor participation rate measures the number of working adults in a population. The unemployment rate, 3.2% in June, measures those seeking work. As the number of people searching for jobs reached historic lows, Alabama policymakers have focused on the labor rate and those people — 42% — not participating in the state’s workforce.
The new unemployment rate represents 75,624 unemployed people searching for work, compared to 78,214 in May and 69,099 in June 2024, according to the department.
The number of people counted as employed increased by 35,548 over the year to 2,310,370, a new record high. The civilian labor force also increased to 2,385,994, also a new record high, with 42,073 more people joining over the year.
Over the year, wage and salary employment increased by 22,400 to 2,219,700, a record high, with gains in the private education and health services, government and the leisure and hospitality sectors, among others.
Average weekly wages also increased by $65.30 over the year to a record high of $1,118.84.
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates in June were: Shelby, 2.4%; St. Clair, Morgan, Limestone, Elmore and Blount counties, 2.5%; and Marshall, Madison, DeKalb and Autauga counties, 2.6%.
Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates were: Vestavia Hills, 2.1%; Pelham and Homewood, 2.2%; and Trussville, Madison, Hoover, and Alabaster, 2.3%.