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The Covington County preliminary, seasonally adjusted unemployment dropped slightly for the month of October, dropping to 2.5 percent from September’s rate of 2.7.

The county’s unemployment was slightly up from a year ago when the October 2022 rate was 2.4 percent.

Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted October unemployment rate came in at 2.3 percent, up slightly from September’s rate of 2.2. October’s rate is well below October 2022’s rate of 2.6 percent. The rate represents 52,196 unemployed persons, compared to 50,166 in September and 60,443 in October 2022.

Neighboring counties unemployment rates for October are: Butler County, 2.8 percent, unchanged from September; Coffee County, 2.4 percent, down from September’s rate of 2.5 percent; Conecuh County, 3.6 percent, unchanged from September; Crenshaw County, 2.4 percent, down from September’s rate of 2.6 percent; Escambia County, 3.1 percent, up from September’s rate of 2.9 percent; and Geneva County, 2.2 percent, down from Septembers 2.4 percent.

Alabama’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 57 percent. The percentage of prime-age workers increased by one-tenth of a percentage point to 78.1 percent over the month. Prime-age workers are those aged 25-54 years.

The number of people counted as employed increased by 38,038 over the year to a record high of 2,260,806. The civilian labor force also increased to a new record high of 2,313,002, with 29,791 more people joining over the year.

Over the year, wage and salary employment increased by 24,700, reaching a new record high of 2,163,400, with gains in the private education and health services sector (+8,700), the government sector (+7,400), and the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (+5,900), among others.

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby County at 1.8 percent, Morgan, Limestone, Cullman, and Chilton counties at 1.9 percent, and St. Clair, Marshall, Madison, Elmore, Cleburne, Cherokee, Bullock and Blount counties at 2 percent.

Counties with the highest unemployment rates are: Wilcox County at 7.8 percent, Dallas County at 5.6 percent, and Clarke and Perry counties at 4.6 percent.

Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are: Alabaster, Homewood, and Vestavia Hills at 1.6 percent, Hoover, Madison, and Trussville at 1.7 percent, and Athens at 1.8 percent.

Major cities with the highest unemployment rates are: Selma at 6.6 percent, Prichard at 4.8 percent, and Bessemer at 4 percent.