Counties with the highest unemployment in Alabama

2024 ended on a high note, with the unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 4.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Jan. 10.

Unemployment rates were higher in November than the prior year in 308 of 389 metro areas, though they dropped in 60 areas and remained unchanged in 21 areas, the BLS reported.

The lion’s share of job growth remained in government, social assistance, and health care, with openings in nursing, residential care facilities, and home health care leading employment in the latter sector.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Alabama, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in November 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.

Key takeaways: Biden’s economic legacy, inauguration day, and immigration’s impact on jobs

The latest BLS report highlights the final job figures under the Biden administration, giving the outgoing president a win during his final weeks in office. President Biden highlighted the creation of 16.6 million jobs during his term in a Jan. 11 statement.

“Although I inherited the worst economic crisis in decades with unemployment above 6% when I took office, we’ve had the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in 50 years with unemployment at 4.1% as I leave,” he said.

Incoming President-elect Donald Trump will inherit a strong economy, with forecasts tracking ongoing growth into 2025. However, uncertainty remains. Trump’s proposed tariffs on foreign goods coupled with a sweeping deportation operation may have a significant impact on the economy, accelerating inflation and tamping down job growth, some experts forecast.

“I worry that immigration will be significantly lower than the long-term average of 1.0 million. I worry that tariffs will be universal and lead to a trade war. That would not be good for the economy and earnings,” Hugh Johnson, chairman emeritus at Graypoint, told U.S. News.

What does all this mean for middle-class Americans? The unemployment rate is projected to remain stable, only creeping up to 4.3%, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest Summary of Economic Projections. Experts suggest paying down mortgages, revisiting investment strategies, and paying attention to taxes before rates possibly shift as Inauguration Day draws close.

The big story: California wildfires still rage

Although Goldman predicts only a “modest drag” on U.S. jobs due to the devastating California wildfires, the situation is still ongoing. Small businesses destroyed by the fires will impact local jobs; in the wake of the fires, a surge in construction and the need for labor and materials might lead to localized shortages and rising costs, impacting several industries.

However, amid political and environmental uncertainty, it’s unclear which way the winds will blow. Americans will have to simply wait for the smoke to clear.

To get a better idea of your community’s current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Alabama.

#50. Cleburne County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,445 people (205 unemployed)

#49. Geneva County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,566 people (370 unemployed)

#48. Lawrence County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 15,266 people (486 unemployed)

#47. Dale County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 21,688 people (690 unemployed)

#46. Tuscaloosa County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 108,625 people (3,524 unemployed)

#45. Lamar County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,748 people (192 unemployed)

#44. Franklin County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,667 people (479 unemployed)

#43. Jackson County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 23,676 people (788 unemployed)

#42. Lauderdale County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 44,350 people (1,479 unemployed)

#41. Tallapoosa County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 17,763 people (605 unemployed)

#40. Houston County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 49,463 people (1,679 unemployed)

#39. Jefferson County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 331,554 people (11,153 unemployed)

#38. Crenshaw County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,192 people (218 unemployed)

#37. Bibb County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,966 people (318 unemployed)

#36. Covington County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 15,054 people (525 unemployed)

#35. Walker County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 26,223 people (919 unemployed)

#34. Talladega County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 37,111 people (1,294 unemployed)

#33. Montgomery County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 109,950 people (3,892 unemployed)

#32. Fayette County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 6,539 people (233 unemployed)

#31. Coffee County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 22,416 people (801 unemployed)

#30. Randolph County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,861 people (366 unemployed)

#29. Pike County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 16,243 people (601 unemployed)

#28. Colbert County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 24,607 people (902 unemployed)

#27. Washington County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,085 people (309 unemployed)

#26. Butler County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,849 people (340 unemployed)

#25. Marion County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 12,988 people (492 unemployed)

#24. Russell County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 24,142 people (921 unemployed)

#23. Calhoun County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 46,490 people (1,784 unemployed)

#22. Pickens County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,030 people (314 unemployed)

#21. Winston County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,008 people (392 unemployed)

#20. Escambia County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,479 people (566 unemployed)

#19. Etowah County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 40,062 people (1,570 unemployed)

#18. Mobile County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 195,015 people (7,642 unemployed)

#17. Coosa County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
— 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,581 people (181 unemployed)

#16. Bullock County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,653 people (187 unemployed)

#15. Henry County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,296 people (290 unemployed)

#14. Hale County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,175 people (257 unemployed)

#13. Conecuh County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,317 people (194 unemployed)

#12. Marengo County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,599 people (344 unemployed)

#11. Macon County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,889 people (368 unemployed)

#10. Choctaw County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,191 people (209 unemployed)

#9. Sumter County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,613 people (237 unemployed)

#8. Barbour County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,081 people (412 unemployed)

#7. Lowndes County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,582 people (198 unemployed)

#6. Monroe County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,780 people (392 unemployed)

#5. Perry County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,110 people (194 unemployed)

#4. Dallas County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 13,537 people (867 unemployed)

#3. Greene County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,924 people (194 unemployed)

#2. Clarke County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,730 people (512 unemployed)

#1. Wilcox County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,621 people (244 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Elena Cox, writing by Alizah Salario, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

You may also like: Bestselling cars in Alabama