Last month’s jobless numbers show that Alabama had the lowest unemployment rate, and the fewest number of unemployed workers since 2008.

Gov. Robert Bentley on Friday announced that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted July unemployment rate is 5.7 percent, down from June’s rate of 6.0 percent, and below July 2015’s rate of 6.1 percent. July’s rate represents 123,095 unemployed persons, compared to 130,298 in June and 130,098 in July 2015.

In July 2016, 2,039,029 people were counted as employed, up from 2,011,438 in July 2015. Additionally, 123,095 people were counted as unemployed in July 2016. The last time that number was at or below 123,095 was in June 2008, when the number of unemployed measured 118,828.

“July registered the fewest number of unemployed people since 2008 and the good news also trickled down to the counties this month as well,” Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington said. “Every county in Alabama saw its rate decrease over the month, and 66 of 67 counties saw their rates decrease over the year, some by more than two percentage points.  This is excellent news!”

Covington County’s jobless rate was 6.7 percent, a number that represents 1,052 people. That rate compared to 7.5 percent in the same month last year.

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby County at 4.2 percent, Elmore County at 4.7 percent, and Baldwin County at 4.8 percent. Counties with the highest unemployment rates are Wilcox County at 14.3 percent, Perry County at 12.1 percent, and Clarke County at 11.4 percent.