FROM STAFF REPORTS

Alabama’s unemployment rate in October fell to another record low while Shelby County’s rate remained the lowest in the state, and Alabaster and Hoover continue to boast two of the lowest rates for cities.

Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington announced that Alabama reached a new record low unemployment rate of 2.8 percent in October, down from September’s rate of 3 percent and October 2018’s rate of 3.8 percent.

“More than 80,000 Alabamians are working today than last year, and 20,000 fewer people are counted as unemployed. Our economy is supporting over 2.1 million jobs, more than ever before,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “Those are tremendous numbers, and we are extremely proud of them. We continue to show the rest of the country that Alabama is indeed open for business! Employers have confidence in our economy and jobseekers who are joining the workforce are finding employment.”

“Alabama has never experienced an unemployment rate in the 2 percent range,” Washington said. “While we have been breaking unemployment records all year, I have to say that this is one metric we really weren’t sure we’d ever surpass, but we have!”

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates were Shelby County at 1.8 percent, Marshall County at 2 percent, and Blount, Crenshaw, Cullman, Lee, Limestone, Madison, Morgan and Tuscaloosa Counties at 2.1 percent.

Counties with the highest unemployment rates were Wilcox County at 6.3 percent, Greene County at 4.8 percent and Clarke County at 4.7 percent.

Rates for counties surrounding Shelby include Jefferson at 2.3 percent, St. Clair at 2.2 percent, Talladega at 2.9 percent, Coosa at 2.4 percent, Chilton at 2.2 percent and Bibb at 2.4 percent.

Shelby County’s rate was unchanged from the September rate but down from the October 2018 rate of 2.7 percent.

Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates were Vestavia Hills at 1.5 percent, Alabaster, Homewood and Northport at 1.6 percent, and Hoover and Madison at 1.8 percent.

Major cities with the highest unemployment rates were Selma at 5.2 percent, Prichard at 5.1 percent and Bessemer at 3.7 percent.

Alabaster’s rate was down from 1.8 percent in September and 2.6 percent in October 2018.

Hoover’s rate was unchanged from September but down from the October 2018 rate of 2.8 percent.