Chilton County’s unemployment rate for April was down from the March rate but the same as the April 2015.

The county’s preliminary rate for April was 5.1 percent, compared to a revised 5.8 percent rate in March.

The county numbers represent 18,035 employed residents in April and 966 unemployed residents.

The trend was much the same in Alabama, where the preliminary unemployment rate for April was 6.1 percent, compared to 6.2 percent in March and 6.1 percent in April 2015.

“Every aspect of this month’s jobs data reflects positively on Alabama’s economy,” Gov. Robert Bentley said in a press release. “More people are working and more jobs are filled. In fact, we are supporting almost 100,000 more jobs now than we were at the height of the recession. We are continuously working to keep that momentum going, with events like last week’s huge job fair in Birmingham that drew more than 5,000 job seekers.”

Wage and salary employment measured 1,971,300 in April 2016. In comparison, when Bentley took office in January 2011, the wage and salary employment measured 1,839,400.

“This is a promising month for us,” Alabama Department of Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald Washington said. “There are more people looking for work and more people working this month than there have been all year. The number of people who are unemployed is down. We continue to see growth in our wage and salary employment, surpassing economists’ growth expectations by nearly 8,000 jobs only four months into the year.”

Wage and salary employment increased in April by 16,500. Monthly gains were seen in the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (3,600), the professional and business services sector (3,500), and the leisure and hospitality sector (2,100), among others.

Over the year, wage and salary employment increased 25,400, with gains in the professional and business services sector (7,400), the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (5,900), and the education and health services sector (5,200), among others.

All major Alabama cities, metro areas, and 67 Alabama counties experienced drops in the unemployment rate.

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby County at 4 percent, Elmore County at 4.5 percent, and Cherokee County at 4.6 percent. Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are: Vestavia Hills at 3.4 percent, Homewood at 3.7 percent, and Hoover at 3.9 percent.

Rates for other counties bordering Chilton County include Coosa at 5.7 percent, Autauga at 4.7 percent, Dallas at 8.3 percent, Perry at 8.8 percent and Bibb at 6 percent.