The December preliminary unemployment rate in Covington County was 2.3 percent to 2.4 percent, slightly higher than November’s.
According to the Alabama Department of Labor in December, Covington County’s civilian workforce was 15,443. The county’s unemployment rate also increased from the same month 2021, when it was at 2.2 percent.
Covington County has a lower unemployment rate than the state, which is reported at 2.8 percent.
The rates in adjacent counties were: Butler County maintained its rate at 3.1%; Coffee County dropped from 2.2% to 2.1%); Conecuh County held at 3.2 percent. Crenshaw County saw a drop from 2.4 percent to 2.11%; Escambia County was unchanged at 3.11%; and Geneva County saw an increase from 2.1 to 1.9%.
Governor Kay Ivey announced Alabama’s preliminary seasonally adjusted December unemployment rate at 2.8 percent. This is slightly higher than November’s rate (2.7%) and lower than December 2021’s rate (3.1%). The December statewide rate is 63,412 people without jobs, up slightly from 63,004 in November, and 69,434 for December 2021.
The number of people considered employed rose by 56,418 to 229,259.
Governor Ivey stated, “As we close out our economic report for 2022,” adding that Alabama had recovered from the pandemic and maintained positive momentum throughout the entire year. We set records throughout the year, reminding everyone that Alabama remains the best place in which to live, work, and start a business. We have some of the highest levels of employment in major industries in over a decade, our wages are rising and jobs are plentiful. We have made great progress and I couldn’t be happier.
The year saw wage and salary employment rise 55,900 to 2,120,000. This is a new record. There were gains in education and health service sector (+15 400), professional and business services sector (+12 700) and government sector (+8,600).
December saw 300 percent increase in wage and salary employment. These gains were mainly in the government sector (+3,100), trade, transport and utilities sector (+3,100), and construction sector (+500).
According to Fitzgerald Washington, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Labor, “Our economy supports more jobs than ever before with the addition of almost 56,000 jobs since last years.” This represents 2.7% annual job growth, which is excluding the immediate pandemic recovery. We have also seen record-breaking employment in the trade and transportation and utilities sectors, and more people work in the construction and manufacturing sectors since 2008.
Trade, transportation and utilities are reporting record-breaking employment at 411,700 people. With 272,900 workers in the manufacturing sector, it is at its highest point since December 2008. Construction, however, is at its highest point since November 2008.
The lowest unemployment rates in Counties are 1.5 percent for Shelby County, 1.6 percent for Cullman County, and 1.7 percent respectively for Morgan and Marshall counties.
The highest unemployment rates in counties are Wilcox County (9.1%), Clarke County (6.6%) and Dallas County (5.3%).
The major cities with the lowest unemployment rates include Vestavia Hills, Homewood, Trussville and Madison at 1.3 percent and Trussville and Madison, Hoover and Alabaster respectively at 1.4 percent and Athens, Northport and 1.7 percent.
Selma, 6.2 percent, Prichard, 5.2 percent, Bessemer, 3.5 percent are the major cities with high unemployment rates.
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