Jobless rate rises to 5.3 percent

By Staff
Alabama recorded a net increase of jobs during the month of September, even as the state’s unemployment rate increased to 5.3 percent from the August rate of 4.9 percent.
Over the month, there was a net increase of 2,500 wage and salary obs in Alabama. The majority of monthly growth occurred in the educational component of state and local government.
The counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby (3.6 percent), Madison (3.8 percent) and Tuscaloosa (4.3 percent). The highest jobless rates were Chambers (14.5 percent), Wilcox (13.4 percent) and Bullock (11.5 percent).