On Friday, the Governor’s office announced that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted June unemployment rate fell to 3.3%, down from 3.4% a month earlier.

Compared to June 2020, the rate is significantly lower, falling from  7.7% over the last 12 months.

According to a release from Gov. Kay Ivey’s office, 89,705 more were employed over June 2020 for a total of 2,139,420 people.

“As our unemployment rate continues to drop and employers continue to fill jobs, we’re proud to celebrate the fact that Alabama is open for business,” Ivey said in a statement. “The drastic changes we’ve seen since last year are truly remarkable and are a testament to the dedication and work ethic of Alabamians. After months of struggling through an unprecedented pandemic, I’m proud to say that nearly 90,000 more Alabamians are working today than last year!”

“Our jobs count this month hit its highest mark so far in 2021,” Secretary of Labor Fitzgerald Washington added. “Employers are eagerly looking for employees and are actively hiring. We’re especially proud to say that the leisure and hospitality industry, which took such a severe hit during the pandemic, is also at a yearly high, and has seen yearly growth of nearly 29,000 jobs.”

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates include Shelby County at 2.4%, Blount County at 2.5%, and Marshall and Cullman Counties at 2.6%. Counties with the highest unemployment rates were Wilcox County at 10.4%, Lowndes County at 9.8% and Perry County at 9.0%.

Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates were Alabaster at 2.4%, Homewood and Vestavia Hills at 2.5%, and Hoover at 2.6%. Major cities with the highest unemployment rates were Selma at 8.9%, Prichard at 8.3% and Anniston at 6.1%.

Rates by county:

Rates by city:

@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly, and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5.