By J.R. Tidwell / Managing Editor

The preliminary unemployment rate in Chilton County for the month of February was once again lower than the number a year ago, according to data compiled by the Alabama Department of Labor in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The unemployment rate for Chilton County for February was 3.9 percent. That is down 1.5 percent from the 5.3 mark for February 2017.

The county unemployment rate was also down for January, which had lowered from 5.7 percent in 2017 to 3.8 percent this year.

Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted February unemployment rate was 3.7 percent, below February 2017’s rate of 5.3 percent.

The unemployment rates for Alabama for January and February of this month have both been record lows, according to the release by the office of the governor.

“The fact that we are able to maintain our record low unemployment rate for yet another month shows that we are, in fact, keeping Alabamians working,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “Once again, we can announce that we have the fewest number of unemployed people in history. More people are working, and our economy is adding jobs. This is a combination I’m proud of, and one we hope to maintain for many more months to come.”

According to the preliminary statistics, there are 18,409 people employed in Chilton County. That is higher than the revised number of 18,120 for February 2017.

Preliminary numbers show 757 people unemployed in Chilton County, which is down from the 1,023 revised number for February of last year.

Shelby County once again had the lowest unemployment rate in the state, which stands at 3.1 percent for February 2018. That is up only 0.1 percent from January’s 3.0 percent mark.

Cullman County was the next lowest at 3.6 percent, while Marshall, Madison, and Blount counties were all even at 3.7 for last month. Wilcox County (10.5 percent), Clarke County (8.0 percent) and Lowndes County (7.4 percent) were the counties with the highest unemployment rate in the state for February.