Unemployment down in Wiregrass

About 50 more Wiregrass residents found jobs in August, according to data just released by the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations.

Unemployment in Barbour, Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry and Houston counties dropped slightly last month from July, but rates are still considerably higher than they were the same time last year.

“The number of employed Alabamians increased by 3,200 from July to August,” Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees said in a press release.

Statewide, unemployment dropped to 4.9 percent in August from 5.1 percent in July. The rate was 3.6 percent a year ago.

Locally, Coffee County has the lowest rate in the area, at 4.5 percent, down from 4.8 percent in August and up from 3.6 percent a year ago. Houston County unemployment was 4.7, compared to 4.9 percent in July and 3.4 percent in August 2007.

Dale County’s rate was 4.9 percent, down from 5.2 percent in July and up from 3.9 percent a year ago. Geneva County unemployment was 5.0, compared to 5.1 percent in July and 3.4 percent a year ago.

Henry and Barbour county’s rates were 6.2 and 8.0 percent, respectively.

Among the state’s 11 metropolitan areas, Dothan ranked fifth lowest, at 4.9 percent. That’s down from 5.1 percent in July. Dothan has a civilian labor force of 65,804, with 3,253 of those reportedly unable to find jobs.

U.S. unemployment was at 6.1 percent in August, up from 5.7 percent in July and 4.7 percent a year ago.