The unemployment rate for Limestone County was 2.1% during the month of May, up slightly from 2.0% in April but less than half the 5.7% figure recorded a year ago during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Athens once again matched those numbers.

The May unemployment rates for Limestone County and Athens were slightly up from the previous month at 2.1%, according to the Alabama Department of Labor. Both the city and county posted figures of 2.0% in April.

While the month-to-month number raised slightly, both the city and county remain well below the rates posted a year ago during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In May 2020, Limestone County had a 5.7% unemployment rate, with Athens posting a 5.6%. The rate was as high as 10.7% last April, but by October, the county had largely returned to pre-pandemic figures at 2.8%. Athens was at 10.0% last April and 2.7% in October.

Since last October, neither the city or county has posted an unemployment rate above 2.5%. Limestone County and Athens have averaged 2.3% so far in 2021.

In May, the county’s civilian labor force was 45,300, and out of that, only 973 individuals were listed as unemployed. For Athens, there were 285 unemployed residents out of a labor force of 12,649.

“There is always going to be a certain percentage of the county listed as unemployed,” Limestone County Commission Chairman Collin Daly said. “If you are looking for a job, there is an opportunity for anybody to work, because it seems like everybody is hiring.”

Statewide, Alabama posted an unemployment rate of 3.4%, down from 3.6% in April and well below the 7.9% figure posted in May 2020. May’s rate is the lowest posted by the state in 2021.

“Our record-breaking streak is continuing in May, and we hope that it continues throughout the rest of the year,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “Yet again, we’ve dropped our unemployment rate, and each month, we are getting closer and closer to our pre-pandemic record-low unemployment rate of 2.6%. Our economy is adding jobs, and earlier barriers to joining the workforce have been significantly reduced. In fact, there are more job postings than there are people counted as unemployed. Alabama is, once again, open for business.”

Alabama Secretary of Labor Fitzgerald Washington said the state is also seeing record-high wages.

“Once again, our average weekly wages are at new record high, representing an almost $67 per week over-the-year increase,” he said. “Both the leisure and hospitality and manufacturing sectors are showing record-high wages as well, with significant yearly increases. The economy is responding as we expected to labor force fluctuations brought about by the pandemic.”

According to the ADOL, the average weekly earnings for the private sector rose to $974.12, up $66.91 over the year.

Shelby County once again posted the lowest unemployment rate at 1.8% in May, while Alabaster (in Shelby County) had the lowest figure among major cities at 1.7%.

By comparison, Wilcox County had the highest rate at 8.8%, while Selma had the highest figure among major cities at 7.0%.