Alabama saw a small increase in young- and middle-age people joining the workforce in August, but the overall labor force participation rate was unchanged from 57.5% in July.
The percentage of “prime-age” workers increased by one-tenth of a percentage point to 79.4% from July to August, the Alabama Department of Labor said today.
Over the year, workers age 25 to 54 increased by 1.6 percentage points from 77.8%.
“Prime age workers are continuing to do their part here in Alabama,” Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington. “Each month, we move closer and closer to 80 percent of this population either working or looking for work. This is also reflected in our civilian labor force population increasing to a new record high, along with the number of people who are employed.”
Nationwide, the labor participation rate was 62.7% in August.
Alabama leaders have been trying to close that gap through a variety of workforce initiatives, including tax credits for businesses that help supply child care to employees.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate also stayed the same in August at 2.8%. That’s compared to 2.5% in August 2023 and represents 66,619 people actively seeking work. That’s compared to 66,566 in July and 58,570 in August 2023.
“Employers added over 43,000 more jobs in the past year,” Washington said. “This is great news for our economy and we’re seeing growth in multiple sectors.”
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates in August were: Shelby, 2.6%; Morgan and Madison, 2.8%; and Cullman, Elmore, Limestone, Marshall, and St. Clair counties, 2.9%.
Major cities with the lowest unemployment were: Vestavia Hills, 2.3%, Trussville, 2.4%, and Alabaster, Homewood, and Madison, 2.5%.