Alabama unemployment rate drops to new historic low of 2.2%

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Alabama’s already historically low unemployment rate has dropped yet again, dipping from 2.3% in March to 2.2% in April, Gov. Kay Ivey’s office confirmed Friday.

“Yet again, we see the resiliency of our state’s workforce. When Alabama works, Alabama families thrive and records are broken time and time again,” Ivey said. “We have a quick growing economy, and we are leading the game when it comes to economic success. Boasting the lowest unemployment rate in the Southeast, Alabama is well on its way to having the lowest unemployment rate in the nation.”

The April rate represents 51,462 unemployed Alabamians, which is also a new record low. The April figure is down from 53,017 in March and 57,712 a year earlier when the unemployment rate was 2.5%. The state has hit a new record of 2,293,022 people in the workforce.

Employers have added more than 40,000 jobs in the last year, according to Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington, noting it’s the third highest job count in the country.

Most gains came in the leisure and hospitality sector (+3,800), the financial activities sector (+1,700) and the private education and health services sector, according to state data.

“Wages have yet again set a new record high, rising by more than $30 a week since last month alone. More money in the pockets of Alabamians is always a good thing,” Fitzgerald said.

Shelby County clocked in with the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 1.3%. Nine other counties are hovering at between 1.4% and 1.5% unemployement. Counties in Alabama’s poorer Blackbelt have historically had the highest unemployment rates with Wilcox County at 6%, Greene County at 4% and Clarke County at 3.7%.

The figures are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

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