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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

The Alabama Department of Labor released its unemployment data for the month of July earlier in August, and it showed a slight spike in unemployment in Chilton County. The unemployment rate grew to 2.9% in Chilton County, up from 2.7% in June and 2.5% in July 2023. These rates represent 609 unemployed persons this July in Chilton County, 556 in June and 509 in July 2023.

While the unemployment rate was higher in July than June in the county, the number of employed persons grew to 20,133 from 20,100 in June. It is also higher than July 2023’s number of 19,953. The same case goes for the civilian labor force in the county that is at 20,742 in July, up from 20,506 in June despite the higher unemployment rate. Also, higher this July than 20,462 in July 2023.

Counties in Alabama with the lowest unemployment rates are Morgan and Shelby Counties at 2.5%, followed by Cullman and Marshall Counties at 2.6%. Chilton County sits right outside the next group of Elmore, Limestone, Madison and St. Clair Counties at 2.7%. The counties with the highest unemployment rates are Wilcox County at 8.8%, Perry County at 7.0% and Dallas County at 6.2%.

The State of Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 2.8%. That is down from June’s 2.9%, but higher than July 2023’s rate of 2.4%. These rates represent 66,591 unemployed persons this July, 67,782 in June and 55.583 in July 2023. The state’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 3.2% in July, up from 2.9% in June and 2.6% in July 2023. These rates represent 74,308 unemployment persons this July, 69,078 in June and 61,384 in July 2023.

“While we all are working to increase our labor force participation rate, the continued growth, especially year over year, in the number of prime-age Alabamians who are holding down a job, remains a positive trend in the state’s economy.” Fitzgerald Washington, Alabama Department of Labor Secretary, said in a press release. “All other economic indicators showed improvement this month as well.”

The number of people counted as employed increased by 20,156 in 2024 across the state to a new record high of 2,273,759. The civilian labor force also increased to a new record high of 2,340,350 with 31,164 more people joining in 2024.

“The labor force continues to increase by more than 30,000 people in the last year, and those people are getting jobs,” Washington said. “Our economy added more than 52,000 jobs in the past year, which is great news for Alabama.”

Alabama’s labor force participation rate for July held steady at 57.5% from June. The percentage of prime-age workers, those aged 25-54 years old, increased by one-tenth of a percentage point to 79.3% from June to July. In 2024, that number has increased by one and a half percentage points up to 77.8%.