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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Chilton County’s unemployment rate dipped under 2% for the first time since May during the month of October. Chilton County’s 1.9% unemployment rate ranks tied for second lowest in the state with Morgan, Limestone and Cullman counties. Nearby Shelby County holds the lowest unemployment rate in Alabama at 1.8%.

The civilian labor force in Chilton County increased from 20,328 in September to 20,602 in October, and the unemployed persons in the county decreased from 434 to 395.

Wilcox County has the highest unemployment rate in the state at 7.8%, followed by Dallas County at 5.6% and Perry and Clarke counties at 4.6%.

For the state as a whole, Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted October unemployment rate is 2.3%, up from 2.2% in September. However, the October 2023 rate is lower than the October 2022 rate of 2.6%. The rate in October 2023 represents 52,196 unemployed persons in Alabama, compared to 50,166 in Sept. 2023 and 60,443 in Oct. 2022.

“Our labor force is growing, and more and more people are working,” Fitzgerald Washington, Alabama Department of Labor secretary, said in a press release. “Additionally, Alabamians are earning more money — this month we saw our average weekly wages rise to a new record high of $1,027.76.”

The number of people counted as employed in Alabama increased by 38,038 over the year to a record high of 2,260,806. The civilian labor force also increased to a new record high of 2,313,002 with 29,791 more people joining over the year.

The total private, average weekly rate reached a new record high after rising $8.10 in October to $1,027.76 per week. Both weekly wages in the construction and financial activities sectors increased to record highs as well, $71.63 per week and $104.60 per week, respectively.