Counties with the highest unemployment in Alabama

While today’s unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.

Experts are mixed in their views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession. The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.

But as of August 2023, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—nearly the same as the same month last year, and up about 0.3 percentage points from July. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.7% in Maryland to 5.4% in Nevada.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Alabama using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in August 2023, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

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#50. Lee County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 81,095 people (1,830 unemployed)

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#49. Tuscaloosa County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.3%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 105,217 people (2,464 unemployed)

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#48. Crenshaw County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,166 people (150 unemployed)

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#47. Randolph County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,616 people (227 unemployed)

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#46. Geneva County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,441 people (280 unemployed)

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#45. Chambers County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 16,123 people (383 unemployed)

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#44. Tallapoosa County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 17,754 people (430 unemployed)

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#43. Dale County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 21,317 people (519 unemployed)

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#42. Coffee County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 21,893 people (521 unemployed)

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#41. Jackson County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 23,306 people (549 unemployed)

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#40. Jefferson County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 323,684 people (7,904 unemployed)

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#39. Bullock County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,480 people (113 unemployed)

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#38. Coosa County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,665 people (116 unemployed)

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#37. Bibb County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,742 people (219 unemployed)

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#36. Houston County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 48,932 people (1,233 unemployed)

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#35. Henry County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,173 people (189 unemployed)

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#34. Franklin County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 14,223 people (364 unemployed)

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#33. Marion County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,256 people (368 unemployed)

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#32. Covington County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 15,083 people (393 unemployed)

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#31. Russell County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 24,252 people (641 unemployed)

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#30. Walker County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 25,583 people (662 unemployed)

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#29. Talladega County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 37,499 people (985 unemployed)

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#28. Lauderdale County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 43,091 people (1,103 unemployed)

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#27. Winston County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,803 people (260 unemployed)

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#26. Pike County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 16,157 people (440 unemployed)

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#25. Etowah County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 39,080 people (1,071 unemployed)

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#24. Montgomery County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 107,404 people (2,859 unemployed)

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#23. Lamar County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,826 people (164 unemployed)

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#22. Butler County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,069 people (252 unemployed)

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#21. Calhoun County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 46,260 people (1,278 unemployed)

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#20. Washington County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,978 people (230 unemployed)

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#19. Escambia County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,281 people (410 unemployed)

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#18. Colbert County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 23,936 people (709 unemployed)

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#17. Mobile County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 193,825 people (5,737 unemployed)

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#16. Hale County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,981 people (188 unemployed)

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#15. Fayette County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 6,699 people (210 unemployed)

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#14. Marengo County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,556 people (238 unemployed)

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#13. Pickens County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,788 people (241 unemployed)

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#12. Macon County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,951 people (250 unemployed)

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#11. Conecuh County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,296 people (156 unemployed)

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#10. Monroe County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,931 people (267 unemployed)

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#9. Choctaw County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,086 people (163 unemployed)

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#8. Sumter County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,466 people (181 unemployed)

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#7. Greene County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,785 people (119 unemployed)

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#6. Barbour County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,090 people (349 unemployed)

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#5. Lowndes County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,490 people (153 unemployed)

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#4. Clarke County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,551 people (339 unemployed)

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#3. Perry County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,937 people (147 unemployed)

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#2. Dallas County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 13,523 people (749 unemployed)

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#1. Wilcox County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,532 people (186 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.