Governor Ivey Announces Alabama Reaches Another Record Low Unemployment Rate of 2.6%

MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey announced today that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted June unemployment rate is 2.6%, down from May’s rate of 2.7%, and below June 2021’s rate of 3.5%. This rate marks a new series low for the third consecutive month. June’s rate represents 60,338 unemployed persons, a new record low, compared to 61,585 in May and 79,439 in June 2021.

“The good news continues to roll in as we reach another unemployment milestone of 2.6%,” said Governor Kay Ivey. “For the third consecutive month, Alabama has set a record-low unemployment rate. Alabama is working like never before, and the future continues to look brighter for our state and her people.”

The number of people counted as employed rose to 2,228,231 in June, a new record high. This is up 5,306 from May and 59,902 from June 2021.

Over the year, wage and salary employment increased 41,200, with gains in the trade, transportation and utilities sector (+7,200), the construction sector (+7,000) and the manufacturing sector (+6,700), among others. The total count of wage and salary employment is 2,085,200, the fourth highest on record.

Wage and salary employment is up in June by 5,700. Monthly gains were seen in the education and health services sector (+3,700), the leisure and hospitality sector (+2,800) and the manufacturing sector (+1,700), among others.

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby County at 2.3%, Marshall and Cullman Counties at 2.6%, and Morgan, Madison, Limestone, and Elmore Counties at 2.7%. Counties with the highest unemployment rates are: Wilcox County at 10.1%, Perry County at 8.3%, and Lowndes County at 7.5%.

Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are: Trussville at 2.0%, Vestavia Hills at 2.1%, and Alabaster and Madison at 2.2%. Major cities with the highest unemployment rates are: Selma at 8.7%, Prichard at 7.3% and Bessemer at 5.2%.

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Members of the media seeking more information should contact Communications Director Tara Hutchison.

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“Seasonal adjustment” refers to BLS’s practice of anticipating certain trends in the labor force, such as hiring during the holidays or the surge in the labor force when students graduate in the spring, and removing their effects to the civilian labor force.

The Current Population (CPS), or the household survey, is conducted by the Census Bureau and identifies members of the work force and measures how many people are working or looking for work.

The establishment survey, which is conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, surveys employers to measure how many jobs are in the economy. This is also referred to as wage and salary employment.