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Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Alabama

Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.

As of May of this year, national unemployment is at 3.6%—as it was in both March and April, marking a three-month stagnation—following a steady drop since that aforementioned COVID-affected peak. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.9% in Nebraska and Utah, to 5.3% in New Mexico and 5.8% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.

To that end, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in Alabama using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in April 2022, which as of this writing is the most current Bureau data.

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Rudi Weikard // Wikimedia Commons

#50. Marion County

– Current unemployment rate: 1.76%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
– Total labor force: 13,658 (241 unemployed)

Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#49. Randolph County

– Current unemployment rate: 1.78%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
– Total labor force: 9,528 (170 unemployed)

Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#48. Coosa County

– Current unemployment rate: 1.81%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
– Total labor force: 4,372 (79 unemployed)

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#47. Winston County

– Current unemployment rate: 1.81%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
– Total labor force: 10,170 (184 unemployed)

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#46. Geneva County

– Current unemployment rate: 1.82%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
– Total labor force: 10,912 (199 unemployed)

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#45. Baldwin County

– Current unemployment rate: 1.84%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
– Total labor force: 100,477 (1,845 unemployed)

Springfieldohio // Wikimedia Commons

#44. Jackson County

– Current unemployment rate: 1.85%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
– Total labor force: 23,202 (430 unemployed)

Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

#43. Coffee County

– Current unemployment rate: 1.87%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
– Total labor force: 21,384 (399 unemployed)

Rivers Langley SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Russell County

– Current unemployment rate: 1.88%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
– Total labor force: 23,837 (448 unemployed)

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#41. Covington County

– Current unemployment rate: 1.91%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
– Total labor force: 15,029 (287 unemployed)

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#40. Lawrence County

– Current unemployment rate: 1.92%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
– Total labor force: 14,459 (277 unemployed)

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#39. Bibb County

– Current unemployment rate: 1.94%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.5%
– Total labor force: 8,672 (168 unemployed)

Kreeder13 // Wikimedia Commons

#38. Pike County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.00%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
– Total labor force: 16,396 (328 unemployed)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Chambers County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.00%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.6%
– Total labor force: 15,861 (318 unemployed)

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#36. Dale County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.01%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
– Total labor force: 20,823 (418 unemployed)

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#35. Crenshaw County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.01%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
– Total labor force: 5,866 (118 unemployed)

Myself – Nathon Morris // Wikimedia Commons

#34. Lamar County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.01%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
– Total labor force: 5,663 (114 unemployed)

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#33. Lauderdale County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.01%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
– Total labor force: 42,581 (858 unemployed)

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#32. Tuscaloosa County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.04%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
– Total labor force: 102,992 (2,102 unemployed)

Carol M. Highsmith/Library of Congress // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Houston County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.04%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
– Total labor force: 47,355 (967 unemployed)

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#30. Henry County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.10%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
– Total labor force: 6,904 (145 unemployed)

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#29. Jefferson County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.14%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
– Total labor force: 322,845 (6,905 unemployed)

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#28. Walker County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.15%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
– Total labor force: 25,431 (548 unemployed)

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#27. Fayette County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.22%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
– Total labor force: 6,717 (149 unemployed)

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#26. Escambia County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.35%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
– Total labor force: 14,026 (329 unemployed)

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#25. Bullock County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.37%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
– Total labor force: 4,439 (105 unemployed)

Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Tallapoosa County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.40%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
– Total labor force: 17,756 (426 unemployed)

Dailynetworks // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Colbert County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.43%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
– Total labor force: 23,654 (575 unemployed)

Prestinian // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Etowah County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.51%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
– Total labor force: 39,383 (988 unemployed)

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#21. Pickens County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.55%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
– Total labor force: 7,529 (192 unemployed)

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#20. Calhoun County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.55%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
– Total labor force: 46,432 (1,186 unemployed)

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#19. Marengo County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.58%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
– Total labor force: 7,591 (196 unemployed)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Talladega County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.58%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
– Total labor force: 36,161 (934 unemployed)

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#17. Sumter County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.67%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
– Total labor force: 4,527 (121 unemployed)

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#16. Montgomery County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.75%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
– Total labor force: 106,986 (2,941 unemployed)

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#15. Mobile County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.81%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
– Total labor force: 191,641 (5,391 unemployed)

Chris Pruitt // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Conecuh County

– Current unemployment rate: 2.92%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
– Total labor force: 4,212 (123 unemployed)

RuralSWAlabama (Billy Milstead) // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Choctaw County

– Current unemployment rate: 3.03%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
– Total labor force: 4,320 (131 unemployed)

Idawriter // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Washington County

– Current unemployment rate: 3.09%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
– Total labor force: 6,497 (201 unemployed)

Chris Pruitt // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Butler County

– Current unemployment rate: 3.20%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
– Total labor force: 8,741 (280 unemployed)

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#10. Barbour County

– Current unemployment rate: 3.28%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -2.4%
– Total labor force: 8,201 (269 unemployed)

Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Monroe County

– Current unemployment rate: 3.55%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
– Total labor force: 7,276 (258 unemployed)

Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Hale County

– Current unemployment rate: 3.60%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.5%
– Total labor force: 5,776 (208 unemployed)

Mccallk69 // Shutterstock

#7. Macon County

– Current unemployment rate: 3.63%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -2.0%
– Total labor force: 7,830 (284 unemployed)

Altairisfar // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Clarke County

– Current unemployment rate: 3.97%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
– Total labor force: 7,737 (307 unemployed)

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#5. Greene County

– Current unemployment rate: 4.26%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
– Total labor force: 2,792 (119 unemployed)

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#4. Dallas County

– Current unemployment rate: 4.96%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
– Total labor force: 13,632 (676 unemployed)

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#3. Perry County

– Current unemployment rate: 5.41%
— 1 month change: -0.9%
— 1 year change: -2.3%
– Total labor force: 3,029 (164 unemployed)

Altairisfar // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Lowndes County

– Current unemployment rate: 5.51%
— 1 month change: -1.0%
— 1 year change: -3.6%
– Total labor force: 3,487 (192 unemployed)

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#1. Wilcox County

– Current unemployment rate: 7.75%
— 1 month change: -1.0%
— 1 year change: -2.6%
– Total labor force: 2,530 (196 unemployed)

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