Alabama’s Labor Force Participation Rate Unchanged at 57.0%

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News Release

For Immediate Release: September 15, 2023

Alabama’s Labor Force Participation Rate Unchanged at 57.0%

Unemployment Rate Holds Steady at Record Low 2.1%

MONTGOMERY – Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington announced today that Alabama’s Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) remained unchanged in August 2023 at 57.0%. This is up from last August’s rate of 56.9%.

The “prime-age” participation rate, which measures the labor force participation rate for individuals aged 25-54 remains 77.8% in Alabama.

Washington also announced that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted August unemployment rate held steady at its record low 2.1%. August’s rate is well below August 2022’s rate of 2.6%. The August 2023 rate represents 48,605 unemployed persons, a new record low, compared to 48,789 in July and 60,200 in August 2022.

The number of people counted as employed increased by 32,631 over the year to a new record high of 2,259,025. The civilian labor force also reached a new record high of 2,307,630, with 21,036 more people joining the labor force over the year.

“Yet again, we are announcing record breaking economic statistics this month,” said Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington. “While our labor force participation rate remained unchanged, we are continuing to work with marginalized groups to get them into our labor force.”

Over the year, wage and salary employment increased by 38,100 to 2,149,800 with gains in the leisure and hospitality sector (+4,900), the private education and health services sector (+7,100), the government sector (+5,900), the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (+8,100), and the professional and business services sector (+6,000), among others.

Over the month, wage and salary employment increased by 1,900, totaling 2,149,800 with gains in the government sector (+2,800), the professional and business services sector (+2,400), and the private education and health services sector (+2,100), among others.

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby County at 1.8%, Morgan, Marshall, Madison, and Cullman Counties at 2.0%, and St. Clair, Limestone, Elmore, and Blount Counties at 2.1%. Counties with the highest unemployment rates are: Wilcox County at 7.3%, Dallas County at 5.5%, and Perry County at 5.0%.

Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are: Vestavia Hills at 1.6%, Alabaster, Homewood, Madison, and Trussville at 1.7%, and Hoover at 1.8%. Major cities with the highest unemployment rates are: Selma at 6.5%, Prichard at 4.9%, and Bessemer at 4.0%.

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Members of the media seeking more information should contact
Communications Director Tara Hutchison.

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“Seasonal adjustment” refers to BLS’s practice of anticipating certain trends in the labor force, such as hiring during the holidays or the surge in the labor force when students graduate in the spring, and removing their effects to the civilian labor force.

The Current Population (CPS), or the household survey, is conducted by the Census Bureau and identifies members of the work force and measures how many people are working or looking for work.

The establishment survey, which is conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, surveys employers to measure how many jobs are in the economy. This is also referred to as wage and salary employment.

Alabama Department of Labor
649 Monroe Street, Montgomery, AL, 36113
United States

For all inquiries, please contact us at: Tara.Hutchison@labor.alabama.gov