Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington on Friday announced that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted June unemployment rate held steady at a record low 2.2%. June’s rate is well below June 2022’s rate of 2.6%. The rate represents 50,427 unemployed persons, a new record low, compared to 51,419 in May and 58,505 in June 2022.
The unemployment rate in Walker County rose in June from 2.3 percent to 2.9 percent, which is lower than the June 2022 figure of 3.4 percent.
The number of people counted as employed in the state increased by 20,928 over the year to a new record high of 2,253,490. The civilian labor force also reached a new record high of 2,303,917, with 12,850 more people joining over the year.
“I am proud to continue to celebrate the gains we are making month after month with our economic metrics,” said Washington. “The number of jobs our economy is supporting also rose to its highest level ever. This is certainly great news. Employers are continuing to add jobs and more and more people are joining the labor force each month.”
Over the year, wage and salary employment increased by 55,700, reaching a new record high of 2,163,600, with gains in the leisure and hospitality sector (+11,400), the private education and health services sector (+10,000), and the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (+8,400), among others.
Over the month, wage and salary employment grew by 16,900. Monthly gains were seen in the leisure and hospitality sector (+8,300), the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (+2,800), and the manufacturing sector (+2,700), among others.
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby County at 2.0%, Morgan County at 2.1% and Madison and Cullman counties at 2.2%. Counties with the highest unemployment rates are Wilcox County at 7.5%, Perry County at 6.2% and Dallas County at 5.7%.
Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are Trussville and Vestavia Hills at 1.8%, Madison at 1.9% and Alabaster, Homewood and Hoover at 2.0%. Major cities with the highest unemployment rates are Selma at 6.7%, Prichard at 5.6% and Bessemer at 3.9%.
