Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted September unemployment rate is 6.0 percent, down from August’s rate of 6.2 percent, and below August 2014’s rate of 6.3 percent, according to figures released last week.

Covington County’s jobless rate in September was 6.7 percent, down from 7.3 percent in August and 6.8 percent for the same period last year.

State wide, wage and salary employment in September measured 1,958,800, which is the highest figure in 2015. The last time wage and salary employment was 1,958,800 or higher in September was 2008, when it totaled 1,992,200.

“Every county in Alabama experienced a decrease in their unemployment rates this month,” Alabama Department of Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald Washington said. “We have not seen this many jobs in September since 2008.”

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby County at 4.1 percent, Lee County at 4.8 percent, and Elmore and Cullman Counties at 5.0 percent.