Alabama unemployment rate rises to 3.5%, highest since June 2021 - WBMA

MONTGOMERY Ala. (WBMA) - Alabama’s unemployment rate rose to 3.5% in September, its highest level since June 2021, as the number of people counted as unemployed increased over the year. The preliminary, seasonally adjusted rate was up from 3.4% in August and 2.8% in September 2025, according to the Alabama Department of Workforce. The last time the state’s rate was 3.5% or higher was June 2021. The state counted 82,075 people as unemployed in September, up from 80,550 in August and 65,692 a year earlier. The number of people counted as employed fell by 2,080 over the month to about 2.28 million. Alabama’s civilian labor force also declined, by 555 people, to about 2.36 million.