(The Center Square) – According to federal data, Alabama’s unemployment rate dropped slightly in July from 2.9% to 2.8%.
According to nonseasonally adjusted data, Alabama lost 8,400 jobs in July, with the biggest losses in government, business services and manufacturing sectors.
The number of unemployed rose to 74,308 in July compared to 69,078 in June. For the year to date, the state has gained 52,500 jobs, with most of those coming in private education and health services (13,500); leisure and hospitality (9,400); trade, transportation and utilities (9,000); and government (7,500).
Alabama’s July seasonally adjusted labor force participation rate – which is defined as the percentage of those either working or seeking work – was at 57.8%, trailing the national rate of 62.7%. It is higher than the same time last year (57.2%).
Regionally, Alabama’s rate is better than Mississippi’s (54.2%), but trails Tennessee (59.5%), Florida and South Carolina (both with 58.8%), and Louisiana (58.6%).
Alabama’s labor force was 2.34 million in July, compared to slightly less than that figure in June. In July 2023, Alabama’s labor force was at 2.31 million.
All of the counties with the highest unemployment rates are in central Alabama’s Black Belt region, led by Wilcox County at 8.8%. It was followed by Perry (7%), Dallas (6.2%), Clarke (6.1%), Sumter (6%) and Greene counties (5.6%).
Among the Yellowhammer State’s metro areas, Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville and Mobile were tied for the highest unemployment rate at 3.6%. Decatur in north Alabama had the lowest at 2.6%, followed by nearby Huntsville at 2.7%.
Shelby County in the Birmingham metro area had the lowest unemployment rate for July with 2.5%, followed by Cullman and Marshall counties at 2.6%, and then Elmore County (2.7%).
Selma was highest among Alabama cities with a July unemployment rate of 7.4%, while Vestavia Hills in the Birmingham metro was the lowest at 2.2%.