News Release

For Immediate Release: December 20, 2024

Alabama’s November Labor Force Participation Rate Remains Unchanged

Wages, Civilian Labor Force, and Jobs Count at New Record Highs

 MONTGOMERY – Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Marty Redden announced today that Alabama’s labor force participation rate for November remained unchanged at 57.6%. The percentage of prime-age workers decreased by two-tenths of a percentage point to 78.9% over the month. Over the year, this number increased by half of a percentage point from 78.4%. Prime-age workers are those aged 25-54 years.

Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 3.1%, up from October 2024’s rate of 2.9%. November’s rate is above November 2023’s rate of 2.8%.  The rate represents 73,278 unemployed persons, compared to 69,257 in October and 64,404 in November 2023.

The number of people counted as employed increased by 17,150 over the year to 2,278,876. The civilian labor force also increased to 2,352,154, a new record high, with 26,024 more people joining over the year.

Over the year, wage and salary employment increased by 37,300 to 2,232,000, also a new record high, with gains in the private education and health services sector (+8,800), the leisure and hospitality sector (+6,500), and the government sector (+6,200), among others.

“Alabama employers continue to add jobs at a record pace,” said Redden. “Only a few short years ago, our goal was to break two million wage and salary jobs.  Now, we’re climbing closer and closer to two and a quarter million. This represents remarkable progress.”

Additionally, average total private weekly wages increased by $42.38 over the year to $1,065.50, a new record high.

Several industry sectors in Alabama saw record high employment in November, including: the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (420,100) (tied with record set in 2022), the financial activities sector (105,900), the professional and business services sector (270,800), and the private education and health services sector (277,000).

“We’re seeing great growth in both employment and wages in Alabama,” continued Redden. “More people working and more money in their pockets is always welcome news, especially at the holidays.”

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are:  Shelby County at 2.6%, Morgan County at 2.7%, and Chilton, Cullman, Madison, Marshall, and St. Clair Counties at 2.8%.  Counties with the highest unemployment rates are: Wilcox County at 9.3%, Clarke and Greene Counties at 6.6%, and Dallas County at 6.4%.

Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are: Homewood at 2.3%, Hoover and Vestavia Hills at 2.4%, and Madison at 2.5%.  Major cities with the highest unemployment rates are: Selma at 7.4%, Prichard at 5.8%, and Bessemer at 4.9%.

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Members of the media seeking more information should contact Communications Director Tara Hutchison.

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“Seasonal adjustment” refers to BLS’s practice of anticipating certain trends in the labor force, such as hiring during the holidays or the surge in the labor force when students graduate in the spring, and removing their effects to the civilian labor force. 

The Current Population (CPS), or the household survey, is conducted by the Census Bureau and identifies members of the work force and measures how many people are working or looking for work.

The establishment survey, which is conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, surveys employers to measure how many jobs are in the economy.  This is also referred to as wage and salary employment.