Unemployment rate drops to 4.2 percent

By Staff
The unemployment rate in Madison County during the month of August dropped to 4.2 percent-1 percent lower than the unemployment rate recorded in July.
Alabama posted a 5.7 percent August unemployment rate, the same rate recorded in July, but above the 5.4 percent recorded a year ago.
In Aug. 2001, Madison County recorded a 3.4 percent unemployment rate. Neighboring Limestone County recorded a 4.8 percent unemployment rate for the month of August and Morgan County recorded a 6.7 percent unemployment rate for the same time period.
The August rate for Alabama represents 122,100 unemployed persons. The comparable U.S. unemployment rate for August was also 5.7 percent – a decline from July's 5.9 figure.
Recording the lowest unemployment rates for the month of August were Shelby County at 2.6 percent; Coffee County at 3.9 percent; DeKalb County at 3.9 percent; Tuscaloosa County at 3.9 percent; and Cleburne County at 4.0 percent.