Alabama’s unemployment rate dropped to 2.7% in November, with Madison County, Limestone County and the city of Madison ranking among the areas with the lowest jobless rates in the state, according to data released by the Alabama Department of Workforce.
The seasonally adjusted rate is down from 3.3% in November 2024 and reflects 65,078 unemployed Alabamians, compared with 78,802 a year earlier.
Madison and Limestone counties each reported unemployment rates of 2.2%, placing them among the lowest in Alabama. The city of Madison also posted a low unemployment rate of 2.0%, tying it with Hoover, Pelham and Homewood and trailing only Trussville and Alabaster, which reported rates of 1.9%.
Statewide, employment reached a record high in November, with 2,312,892 people counted as employed, an increase of 31,401 over the year. Alabama’s civilian labor force also grew to 2,377,970, with 17,677 more people participating compared with last year.
“It’s always a good day when we are able to announce that we’ve set three new records in Alabama,” said Alabama Department of Workforce Secretary Greg Reed. “We continue to see improvement in our labor force, including how many people are working and how many jobs our economy is supporting.”
Wage and salary employment increased by 12,400 jobs statewide over the year, reaching a new record of 2,223,800. The largest gains were seen in leisure and hospitality, private education and health services and construction.
Reed said those gains reflect sustained growth across multiple sectors.
“This industry growth is remarkable and shows that our continued dedication to establishing and nurturing partnerships between government and business is paying off,” he said. “Wages are at a record high – Alabama’s families are realizing the fruit of our efforts.”
Average weekly wages rose by $83.65 over the year to a new statewide record of $1,148.80.
Shelby and Elmore counties reported the lowest unemployment rates in Alabama at 2.1%, while several counties, including Madison and Limestone, followed closely at 2.2%. At the other end of the spectrum, Perry County recorded the highest unemployment rate at 5.9%, followed by Wilcox County at 5.8% and Monroe County at 5.7%.
The Department of Workforce noted that local unemployment statistics for October 2025 were not collected due to the federal government shutdown, making November the most recent available data.
The unemployment figures are based on seasonally adjusted data, which accounts for predictable workforce trends such as holiday hiring and post-graduation labor force changes.
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