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Numbers released last week show Escambia County’s unemployment rate at 2.5 percent at the end of March 2023. That rate is a big improvement over the 3.1 percent rate reported in February. It shows a slight improvement based on the same period in 2022 when the rate was reported at 2.8 percent.
The announcement came Friday when Governor Kay Ivey announced that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted March unemployment rate is 2.3 percent, a new record low, down from February’s rate of 2.5 percent. It is also below March 2022’s rate of 2.5 percent. March’s rate represents 53,053 unemployed people, compared to 56,166 in February and 58,074 in March 2022. The number of people counted as unemployed also sets a new record low.
“We’re almost a quarter into 2023, and we are already seeing record-breaking success when it comes to Alabama’s economy,” said Governor Ivey. “We have been enjoying a period of low unemployment, high wages and high jobs count for some time now, and I believe that even greater economic achievements are on their way. We will not back down on our commitment to continue bringing quality, high-paying jobs to Alabama.”
The number of people counted as employed also reached a new record high in March, registering 2,236,706 people, a 7,446 increase from last year.
“Along with thegreat unemployment rate news, we’re also proud to announce that our economy is continuing its trend of gaining jobs,” said Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington. “Our economy is supporting nearly 48,000 more jobs now than last year. This is amazing growth, especially since there are pre-existing labor concerns nationwide.”
Over the year, wage and salary employment increased 47,200, with gains in the professional and business services sector (+10,000), the private education and health services sector (+8,900), and the government sector (+8,400), among others.
Wage and salary employment increased in March by 3,400. Monthly gains were seen in the government sector (+2,100), the leisure and hospitality sector (+1,700), and the financial activities sector (+800), among others.
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby County at 1.4 percent, Morgan and Cullman Counties at 1.5 percent, and Blount, Elmore, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, and St. Clair Counties at 1.6 percent. Counties with the highest unemployment rates are: Wilcox County at 6.9 percent, Greene County at 4.4 percent, and Clarke and Dallas Counties at 4.1 percent.

 

Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are: Hoover, Madison, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills at 1.3%, Alabaster, Homewood, and Northport at 1.4%, and Athens and Prattville at 1.6%. Major cities with the highest unemployment rates are: Selma at 5.3%, Prichard at 3.9%, and Bessemer and Gadsden at 2.9%.