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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 August of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.1% higher than in May, 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 1.8% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in New Mexico and 5.2% 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 July 2022, which as of this writing is the most current Bureau data.

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#50. Winston County

– Current Unemployment rate: 2.7%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 10,407 (286 unemployed)

Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#49. Coosa County

– Current Unemployment rate: 2.8%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -0.5%
-Total Labor Force: 4,412 (125 unemployed)

Rudi Weikard // Wikimedia Commons

#48. Franklin County

– Current Unemployment rate: 2.8%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 14,513 (408 unemployed)

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#47. Lawrence County

– Current Unemployment rate: 2.8%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -0.5%
-Total Labor Force: 14,805 (415 unemployed)

Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#46. Randolph County

– Current Unemployment rate: 2.8%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.1%
-Total Labor Force: 9,931 (278 unemployed)

Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

#45. Coffee County

– Current Unemployment rate: 2.9%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 21,723 (632 unemployed)

Library of Congress

#44. Lee County

– Current Unemployment rate: 2.9%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 79,428 (2,308 unemployed)

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#43. Bibb County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.0%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 8,917 (268 unemployed)

Rivers Langley SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Russell County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.0%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.4%
-Total Labor Force: 24,224 (719 unemployed)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#41. Crenshaw County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.1%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -0.4%
-Total Labor Force: 6,178 (194 unemployed)

Michael Rivera // Wikimedia Commons

#40. Dale County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.1%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 21,113 (646 unemployed)

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

#39. Houston County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.1%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 48,518 (1,507 unemployed)

M Floyd // Flickr

#38. Jefferson County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.1%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 329,834 (10,249 unemployed)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Chambers County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.2%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 16,090 (515 unemployed)

Chris Pruitt // Wikimedia Commons

#36. Covington County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.2%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -0.1%
-Total Labor Force: 15,404 (492 unemployed)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#35. Henry County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.2%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.3%
-Total Labor Force: 7,178 (230 unemployed)

Springfieldohio // Wikimedia Commons

#34. Jackson County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.2%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: +0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 23,275 (749 unemployed)

Wayne James // Shutterstock

#33. Lauderdale County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.2%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.5%
-Total Labor Force: 43,203 (1,387 unemployed)

Rudi Weikard // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Marion County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.2%
— 1 month change: +0.3%
— 1 year change: 0.0%
-Total Labor Force: 14,019 (445 unemployed)

Kreeder13 // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Pike County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.2%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 16,417 (529 unemployed)

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#30. Walker County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.2%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 26,148 (841 unemployed)

Tracy Burroughs Brown // Shutterstock

#29. Tuscaloosa County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.3%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 103,515 (3,412 unemployed)

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#28. Fayette County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.4%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: +0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 6,699 (226 unemployed)

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#27. Bullock County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.6%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 4,510 (163 unemployed)

Prestinian // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Etowah County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.6%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 40,128 (1,443 unemployed)

Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Tallapoosa County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.6%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 17,915 (642 unemployed)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Calhoun County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.7%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 46,869 (1,733 unemployed)

Dailynetworks // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Colbert County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.7%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 23,995 (893 unemployed)

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#22. Escambia County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.7%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 14,234 (531 unemployed)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Talladega County

– Current Unemployment rate: 3.9%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 36,086 (1,399 unemployed)

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#20. Marengo County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.0%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 7,579 (304 unemployed)

Chris Pruitt // wikicommons

#19. Montgomery County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.0%
— 1 month change: +0.1%
— 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 109,524 (4,353 unemployed)

Altairisfar // Wikicommons

#18. Mobile County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.1%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 193,732 (7,926 unemployed)

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#17. Pickens County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.2%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 7,771 (325 unemployed)

Idawriter // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Washington County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.3%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 6,536 (278 unemployed)

RuralSWAlabama (Billy Milstead) // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Choctaw County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 4,362 (202 unemployed)

Chris Pruitt // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Conecuh County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 4,238 (196 unemployed)

Chris Pruitt // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Butler County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.7%
— 1 month change: +0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 8,801 (416 unemployed)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Barbour County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 8,246 (408 unemployed)

Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Monroe County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 7,485 (370 unemployed)

Myself – Nathon Morris // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Lamar County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.1%
— 1 month change: +1.8%
— 1 year change: +1.6%
-Total Labor Force: 5,957 (306 unemployed)

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#9. Sumter County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.1%
— 1 month change: +0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 4,603 (237 unemployed)

Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Hale County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.3%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 6,120 (327 unemployed)

Mccallk69 // Shutterstock

#7. Macon County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.5%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 7,954 (439 unemployed)

Altairisfar // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Clarke County

– Current Unemployment rate: 6.2%
— 1 month change: +0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.4%
-Total Labor Force: 7,768 (478 unemployed)

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#5. Greene County

– Current Unemployment rate: 6.5%
— 1 month change: +0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 2,762 (179 unemployed)

DXR // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Dallas County

– Current Unemployment rate: 7.6%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 14,035 (1,066 unemployed)

Altairisfar // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Lowndes County

– Current Unemployment rate: 8.1%
— 1 month change: +0.6%
— 1 year change: -2.6%
-Total Labor Force: 3,682 (300 unemployed)

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#2. Perry County

– Current Unemployment rate: 8.3%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 3,161 (262 unemployed)

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#1. Wilcox County

– Current Unemployment rate: 11.3%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 2,661 (301 unemployed)