Chilton County’s and the state’s unemployment rates both dropped in February.

The county’s jobless rate fell slightly to 7.4 percent, down from 7.6 percent in January. The county’s unemployment rate for the same month last year was 9.4 percent.

Statewide, unemployment dropped to 7.6 percent in February, down from 7.8 percent the previous month.

“Again, we are seeing positive trends in our unemployment rate,” said Tom Surtees, director of the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations. “We continue to see our rate drop, and we are realizing job gains in various industries.”

The greatest gains last month were in the leisure and hospitality industry, manufacturing, construction and professional/business services.

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates were Shelby County at 5.6 percent, Lee County at 6.4 percent and Coffee County at 6.6 percent.

Counties with the highest unemployment rates were Wilcox County at 16.9 percent, Lowndes County at 16 percent and Dallas County at 14.2 percent.