Digital Media Center
Bryant-Denny Stadium, Gate 61
920 Paul Bryant Drive
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0370
(800) 654-4262

© 2024 Alabama Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Ala. Unemployment Rate Up To 7.4 Percent

Montgomery, AL – Alabama's unemployment rate has gone up for the first time since last summer.

State officials announced Friday that the rate rose from 7.2 percent in April to 7.4 percent in May.

Gov. Robert Bentley said the increase was expected because the national rate increased form 8.1 percent in April to 8.2 percent in May. He said Alabama's rate traditionally goes up in May when new high school and college graduates join the workforce.

Alabama's unemployment rate hit 10.0 percent in July 2011 and then declined for the next nine months before ticking up in May. May's figure represents more than 159,000 Alabama residents looking for work.

Shelby County had the lowest rate at 5.2 percent and Wilcox County had the highest at 16.2 percent.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

News from Alabama Public Radio is a public service in association with the University of Alabama. We depend on your help to keep our programming on the air and online. Please consider supporting the news you rely on with a donation today. Every contribution, no matter the size, propels our vital coverage. Thank you.