Alabama's unemployment rate has dropped to an all-time low of 2.8%. The state says the rate in April was down slightly from a month earlier and well below the national rate. The preliminary, seasonally adjusted rate was 0.1% better than the rate in March. And it compares favorably to the U.S. jobless rate of 3.6% for April. Shelby County in metro Birmingham had the state's lowest unemployment rate at 1.4%, followed by Marshall County at 1.5%. Wilcox County in rural west Alabama was worst in the state at just under 8%.
Governor Kay Ivey, who’s running for re-election, issued a press release to tout the results. The governor’s office noted how total private weekly wages increased in April to $990.46, a new record high. The numbers also represent an increase of $21.12 from April of the previous year. The leisure and hospitality sector’s weekly wages also reportedly set a new record high, increasing from $382.92 in April 2021 to $411.31 this month. That increase represented a yearly increase of $28.39.