The Alabama Department of Workforce announced Friday that the state’s wage and salary employment reached a record 2,224,200 jobs.
Wage and salary employment increased by 21,100 jobs since June 2025.
Alabama Department of Workforce Secretary Greg Reed celebrated the growth, saying the department’s June employment report demonstrated employers’ confidence in the state’s workforce.
“We are adding jobs every month and breaking records,” Reed said.
“This reflects continued employer confidence in Alabama’s economy, and we are committed to building on that momentum,” he said. “Alabama is a great place to do business, and we’re proud to work alongside our business community in delivering quality jobs for our workforce.”
The department reported gains of 7,500 jobs in the leisure and hospitality sector, 5,600 in construction and 5,300 in government.
Alabama’s labor force participation rate was 57.1 percent in June. The participation rate among prime-age workers—those ages 25 to 54—increased over the year to 79.6 percent.
People ages 55 and older accounted for 61.7 percent of those not participating in the workforce.
Although Alabama added jobs over the year, the department’s June report showed that the state’s unemployment rate increased from both May 2026 and June 2025.
Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.2 percent in June, up from 3 percent in May 2026 and 2.9 percent in June 2025.
The number of employed Alabamians decreased by 12,759 over the year to 2,294,118. The civilian labor force also decreased by 3,846 people to 2,370,759.
Shelby and Chambers counties had the state’s lowest unemployment rates at 3.2 percent, followed by Morgan, Limestone, Elmore and Blount counties at 3.3 percent. St. Clair, Marshall, Madison and Lawrence counties each had a rate of 3.4 percent.
Perry County had the highest unemployment rate at 7.7 percent, followed by Greene and Monroe counties at 6.9 percent and Wilcox County at 6.4 percent.
Among major cities, Pelham had the lowest unemployment rate at 2.9 percent, followed by Vestavia Hills and Trussville at 3 percent and Madison, Hoover and Alabaster at 3.1 percent.
Prichard had the highest unemployment rate among major cities at 7 percent, followed by Selma at 6 percent and Anniston at 5.3 percent.
