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From Staff Reports

Numbers released by the State of Alabama show Dallas County’s April unemployment rate at 3.5%, which was a decrease of .4% over the same month in 2022, and also a decrease of .6% from March 2023.

The March unemployment rate places Dallas County as having the fourth highest unemployment in the state, only trailing Wilcox [6%], Greene [4%], and Clark [3.7%]. As a whole the state of Alabama unemployment rate was 2.2%, down from 2.5% in April 2022.

“Yet again, we see the resiliency of our state’s workforce. When Alabama works, Alabama families thrive and records are broken time and time again,” said Governor Kay Ivey. “We have a quick growing economy, and we are leading the game when it comes to economic success. Boasting the lowest unemployment rate in the Southeast, Alabama is well on its way to having the lowest unemployment rate in the nation.”

Of the major cities listed in the report, the city of Selma had an April unemployment rate of 4.5%, the highest of the major cities measured in the state. Alabaster, Madison, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills all tied for the lowest unemployment rate among major cities at 1.2%.

The numbers also showed the civilian labor force in Dallas County falling from 13,658 in April 2022, to 13,420, a 1.7% decline. The number of people counted as employed in the county also declined, falling from 13,119 in April 2022, to 12,953, a 1.3% drop.

Statewide, Alabama employers added more than 40,000 jobs, with total private average weekly wages reached a new record high in April, rising to $1,023.12, up $31.02 over the month, and up $27.68 over the year.  Additionally, both the trade, transportation and utilities sector and the financial activities sector hit new record high weekly wages, rising to $835.56 and $1,305.68 respectively, the release said.

“Continuing this positive trend, Alabama’s employers added more than 40,000 jobs over the last year, reaching the third highest jobs count in history,” said Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington.  “Wages have yet again set a new record high, rising by more than $30 a week since last month alone.  More money in the pockets of Alabamians is always a good thing.”