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By Fred Guarino
Lowndes Signal
According to the latest preliminary numbers from the Alabama Department of Labor, Lowndes County Unemployment ticked up one percent from June to July.
The preliminary July rate was at 12.9 percent, which was also the same for Barbour County.
Counties with higher preliminary unemployment rates in July were Monroe at 13.2 percent, Greene at 13.7 percent, Perry at 15.7 percent, Dallas at 16.3 percent and Wilcox at 18.4 percent.
The rate for Lowndes was up 1 percent from a revised June rate of 11.9 percent but slightly below a revised July 2013 rate, which was 13.0 percent.
Governor Robert Bentley on Friday announced Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted July unemployment rate is 7.0 percent.
“It is not uncommon in the summer months to see the unemployment rate rise because school employees aren’t working during these months,” said Alabama Department of Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald Washington. “This is proven out in our wage and salary data this month, which shows the largest decrease in jobs came from the local education sector.”
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates were Shelby County at 5.3 percent, Baldwin County at 6.1 percent, and Lee County at 6.2 percent
Counties with the highest unemployment rates were Wilcox County Dallas County and Perry County.