Pike Co. jobless rate down from last year

Published 12:00 am Sunday, July 22, 2001

In a year’s time, Pike County has seen a significant drop in the unemployment rate, but an increase from May to June.

According to figures from the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations, Pike County’s jobless rate for June was 5.4 percent. A year ago, that number was 8 percent. But May 2001 figures were 4.3 percent, meaning there was a slight increase in unemployment here, but is inline with the state average.

Across the state, the unemployment rate dropped to its lowest rate of the year ­ 4.5 percent ­ for June, a decrease from the 4.7 percent recorded in May.

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"The state’s latest jobless rate matches the unemployment rate posted one year ago and represents 97,300 unemployed persons in Alabama, also a low mark for 2001," said Alice McKinney, director for the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations.

There were 102,500 persons unemployed in the state in May and 96,700 in June 2000.

Through the first half of 2001, Alabama’s average unemployment rate is 5 percent.

The state’s 4.5 percent jobless rate matched the national rate for June, which increased from 4.4 percent in May.

Washington County recorded the highest unemployment rate of 16.2 percent, followed by Dallas County at 13.5 percent and Perry County at 12.9 percent.

Shelby County had the lowest unemployment rate at 2 percent, followed by Madison and Blount, both at 3 percent.