(The Center Square) — According to the Alabama Department of Labor, Alabama’s jobless rate increased slightly in November, but so did its workforce participation rate.
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.4%, up slightly from the 2.3% mark in October. That was countered by an increase in the state’s workforce participation rate, which increased to 57.1%, up one-tenth of a percent from the month before.
The unemployment rate in November 2022 was 2.6%. There were 55,475 unemployed, compared to 52,182 in October and 60,169 in November 2022.
The number of employed people increased by 40,100 over the year to a record high of 2.26 million. The civilian labor force also increased to a new record high of nearly 2.32 million, with 35,406 more people joining over the year.
The biggest gains were in the private education and health services sector (14,000 new jobs), the government sector (6,500 new jobs) and the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (4,700).
“Additionally, we saw significant growth in the number of jobs our economy is supporting, reaching a new record high and adding nearly 38,000 new jobs over the year,” said Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington in a news release. “This job growth continues improving, and we know that Alabama’s employers are continuing to add jobs each and every month.”
The Alabama counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby at 1.8%, Morgan at 1.9% while Marshall and Bullock counties were tied at 2%.
The counties with the highest unemployment rates are three Black Belt counties: Wilcox County at 8%, Dallas County at 5.4% and Perry County at 5%.
Vestavia Hills in the Birmingham metro area had the lowest unemployment rate among major cities at 1.6%, followed by Homewood, Madison and Northport at 1.7%. Three more Birmingham metro cities — Alabaster, Hoover and Trussville — were tied in third at 1.8%.
The three highest unemployment rates among Alabama cities were Selma (6.7%), Prichard (4.7%) and Bessemer (3.9%).