Governor Kay Ivey announced that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted March unemployment rate is 2.3%, a new record low, down from February’s rate of 2.5%.
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It is also below March 2022’s rate of 2.5%. March’s rate represents 53,053 unemployed people, compared to 56,166 in February and 58,074 in March 2022. The number of people counted as unemployed also sets a new record low.
“We’re almost a quarter into 2023, and we are already seeing record-breaking success when it comes to Alabama’s economy,†said Governor Kay Ivey.
“We have been enjoying a period of low unemployment, high wages and high jobs count for some time now, and I believe that even greater economic achievements are on their way. We will not back down on our commitment to continue bringing quality, high-paying jobs to Alabama.â€
The number of people counted as employed also reached a new record high in March, registering 2,236,706 people, a 7,446 increase from last year.
Over the year, wage and salary employment increased 47,200, with gains in the professional and business services sector (+10,000), the private education and health services sector (+8,900), and the government sector (+8,400), among others.
Wage and salary employment increased in March by 3,400. Monthly gains were seen in the government sector (+2,100), the leisure and hospitality sector (+1,700), and the financial activities sector (+800), among others.
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby County at 1.4%, Morgan and Cullman Counties at 1.5%, and Blount, Elmore, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, and St. Clair Counties at 1.6%.
Counties with the highest unemployment rates are: Wilcox County at 6.9%, Greene County at 4.4%, and Clarke and Dallas Counties at 4.1%.
Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are: Hoover, Madison, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills at 1.3%, Alabaster, Homewood, and Northport at 1.4%, and Athens and Prattville at 1.6%.
Major cities with the highest unemployment rates are: Selma at 5.3%, Prichard at 3.9%, and Bessemer and Gadsden at 2.9%. ■