FROM STAFF REPORTS

MONTGOMERY – Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington announced that, for the seventh month in a row, Alabama has reached a new record low unemployment rate, with Shelby County’s rate again the lowest in the state.

Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted November unemployment rate is 2.7 percent, down from October’s previous record rate of 2.8 percent, and well below November 2018’s rate of 3.8 percent.

“For seven months in a row now, we have announced record-breaking jobs numbers in Alabama,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “We are consistently seeing yearly drops that are the highest in the nation. Our jobs count continues to break records and beat expectations.

“More than 80,000 Alabamians are working today that weren’t last year. All this data combines to paint a picture of economic health in Alabama. We have one more month to report on for 2019, but it’s certainly shaping up to be a banner year!”

November’s rate represents 2,203,495 employed persons, a new record high, and represents an over-the-year increase of 82,609. 61,963 people were counted as unemployed, a new record low, down from 83,298 in November 2018. The civilian labor force also reached a new record high of 2,265,458, representing an over-the-year increase of 61,274.

“The number of jobs our economy is supporting is, yet again, at a record high. We’ve seen a gain of more than 50,000 jobs since this time last year,” Washington said. “Our job growth rate in November is the highest it’s been all year, and we’ve once again surpassed the national job growth rate.”

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates were Shelby County at 1.8 percent, Marshall County at 2 percent, and Limestone and Madison Counties at 2.1 percent.

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

Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates were Homewood and Vestavia at 1.6 percent, Northport at 1.7 percent, and Alabaster, Hoover and Madison at 1.8 percent.

Major cities with the highest unemployment rates were Selma at 5 percent, Prichard at 4.8 percent, and Anniston and Bessemer at 3.6 percent.

Rates for counties surrounding Shelby including Jefferson at 2.3 percent, St. Clair at 2.2 percent, Talladega at 2.8 percent, Coosa at 2.4 percent, Chilton at 2.3 percent and Bibb at 2.4 percent.