CHAMBERS — Chambers County has seen a small decrease in unemployment, which is in line with the rest of the state.
percent, compared to 3.4 percent in November and 5.2 percent in December 2016.
The county's civilian labor force also increased by one person, 15,531, from November's 15,530, which is much higher than 2016's 15,272.
Fourteen counties had lower unemployment rates than Chambers. Two others, Bibb and Jefferson, had equal rates in December.
Neighboring counties had mixed situations. Lee County had an unemployment rate of 2.9 percent, lower than December's 3.1 percent. Tallapoosa and Randolph counties were both higher than Chamber's at 3.3 and 3.4 percent, respectively. Both percentages are lower than November 2016.
Statewide, Alabama's unemployment rate dropped to 3.4 percent from November's 3.6 percent, although seasonally adjusted unemployment actually stayed the same from November to December at 3.5 percent.
The state labor force, seasonally adjusted, rose from 2,163,284 in November to 2,168,761 in December. Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby County at 2.5 percent, Cullman County at 2.8 percent, and Marshall, Madison and Lee Counties at 2.9 percent. Counties with the highest unemployment rates are: Wilcox County at 9.5 percent, Clarke County at 6.7 percent and Lowndes County at 6.5 percent.
Georgia's unemployment numbers for December have not been put out at the time of publication and will be reported on when released.