By Staff
staff reports
Employment growth of 11,379 during the month of October pushed Alabama's unemployment rate down to a new record low of 3.2 percent, Gov. Bob Riley announced Friday.  
Escambia County's current unemployment rate is at the mid-range of 4.0 percent. Covington County's rate is at 3.2 percent while Baldwin County is enjoying a 2.3 percent unemployment rate. Conecuh County and Monroe County both have higer unemployment rates than Escambia with 4.4 and 5.0 percent respectively.
The previous record low was 3.3 percent, a level reached in March and September of this year.
The number of employed Alabamians grew from 2,129,821 in September to 2,141,200 in October.  
The number of unemployed Alabamians fell from 73,706 in September to 71,204 in October.
A year ago - October 2005 - the state's unemployment rate stood at 4.0 percent.
Shelby County recorded the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 2.1 percent.  The highest county rate was 8.4 percent in Bullock County.