Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in January was 4.3%, the lowest rate the state has enjoyed since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

The unemployment numbers were released by the Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL) on Monday morning. The 4.3% rate is down from 4.7% in December.

“As we begin a new year, it’s encouraging to see our monthly unemployment rate drop, marking a new record low since the pandemic began,” said Alabama Secretary of Labor Fitzgerald Washington in a statement.

Alabama’s unemployment rate in January 2020 was 2.7%.

“While we are still not where we were before this year of massive change, we are making progress,” Washington noted.

In January, there were 2,160,347 employed persons in Alabama, compared to 2,157,736 in December and 2,180,872 in January 2020.

Overall, without seasonal adjustments, employment decreased in January by 28,600 jobs.

“This happens nearly every year and is related to holiday and seasonal employment ending,” Washington explained with regards to the decrease.

Shelby County performed best in the state with a 2.3% unemployment rate, Blount County followed at 2.4% with Limestone and Cullman Counties tied for third at 2.5%.

Wilcox and Lowndes Counties performed worst in Alabama. Both had unemployment rates over 12%.

Washington remarked, “More people were employed this month, and fewer were unemployed, which is always good news.”

Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@new-yhn.local or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.