Covington County’s jobless rate was lower than the state average in September.

In August, the county posted a 7.7 percent jobless rate. In September, that rate dropped to 6.5 percent, slightly under the state rate of 6.6 percent unemployment, which also was down from the previous month.

“The number of jobs employers reported in Alabama in September is the highest we have seen since December 2008, and that is thanks to the strong economic development efforts we have put in place to create jobs,” Gov. Robert Bentley said. “Our economy is supporting more jobs today than it has in the past five years, and our efforts will continue until every Alabamian who wants a job has the opportunity to have one. September’s unemployment rate is the lowest rate we’ve seen in seven months, and we are confident that this trend will continue.”

“Every county in Alabama experienced a decrease in their unemployment rate this month,” Alabama Department of Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald Washington said. “Five counties with traditionally high unemployment rates saw their rates drop more than two percentage points.”

Rates in surrounding counties were:

Geneva County – 5.7%
Coffee County – 5.5%
Crenshaw County – 5.3%
Covington County – 6.5%
Butler County – 7.5%
Conecuh County – 9.7%
Escambia County – 7.6%