Counties with the highest unemployment in Alabama
While today's unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Alabama using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in February 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Experts are mixed in their views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.
The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
But as of March 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—down slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.
Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Alabama.
#50. Tuscaloosa County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 107,376 people (3,413 unemployed)
#49. Cleburne County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,225 people (205 unemployed)
#48. Geneva County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,105 people (372 unemployed)
#47. Chambers County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,574 people (546 unemployed)
#46. Tallapoosa County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,054 people (558 unemployed)
#45. Jefferson County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 327,594 people (10,959 unemployed)
#44. Clay County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,908 people (198 unemployed)
#43. Bibb County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,813 people (304 unemployed)
#42. Lauderdale County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 43,195 people (1,460 unemployed)
#41. Coosa County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,482 people (159 unemployed)
#40. Crenshaw County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,045 people (210 unemployed)
#39. Randolph County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,610 people (336 unemployed)
#38. Coffee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,657 people (758 unemployed)
#37. Jackson County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 23,384 people (816 unemployed)
#36. Houston County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 48,669 people (1,714 unemployed)
#35. Bullock County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,433 people (159 unemployed)
#34. Lamar County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,764 people (208 unemployed)
#33. Marion County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,074 people (476 unemployed)
#32. Pike County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,213 people (591 unemployed)
#31. Dale County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,173 people (753 unemployed)
#30. Walker County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,812 people (922 unemployed)
#29. Montgomery County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 108,706 people (3,908 unemployed)
#28. Winston County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,693 people (357 unemployed)
#27. Talladega County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 36,542 people (1,342 unemployed)
#26. Henry County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,072 people (266 unemployed)
#25. Washington County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,033 people (340 unemployed)
#24. Colbert County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,021 people (922 unemployed)
#23. Covington County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,563 people (574 unemployed)
#22. Russell County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 23,778 people (922 unemployed)
#21. Etowah County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,696 people (1,538 unemployed)
#20. Calhoun County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 45,822 people (1,765 unemployed)
#19. Macon County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,009 people (323 unemployed)
#18. Escambia County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,489 people (577 unemployed)
#17. Fayette County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,499 people (268 unemployed)
#16. Butler County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,951 people (369 unemployed)
#15. Marengo County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,537 people (319 unemployed)
#14. Pickens County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,831 people (326 unemployed)
#13. Hale County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,905 people (258 unemployed)
#12. Mobile County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 190,371 people (8,366 unemployed)
#11. Conecuh County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,202 people (193 unemployed)
#10. Choctaw County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,238 people (205 unemployed)
#9. Sumter County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,514 people (234 unemployed)
#8. Lowndes County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,503 people (200 unemployed)
#7. Monroe County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,021 people (406 unemployed)
#6. Barbour County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,789 people (456 unemployed)
#5. Greene County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,896 people (188 unemployed)
#4. Clarke County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,582 people (490 unemployed)
#3. Perry County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,907 people (193 unemployed)
#2. Dallas County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,410 people (912 unemployed)
#1. Wilcox County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 10.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,509 people (266 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
