Chilton County’s unemployment rate continues to decrease with December’s preliminary unemployment rate dropping to 6.1 percent that was down from November’s rate of 6.5 percent.

The rate follows closely the state’s 2012 rate of 7.1 percent that is below the national rate of 7.8 percent.

In an announcement made on Jan. 18, Chilton County’s December 2012 preliminary unemployment rate slightly decreased by 0.4 percent since November 2012 and 0.8 percent since November 2011.

Gov. Robert Bentley announced Jan. 18 that Alabama’s preliminary December 2012 unemployment rate fell to 7.1 percent.

The number was down from November’s rate of 7.5 percent and below the 2011 December rate of 8 percent.

The December 2012 rate represented 152,638 unemployed people compared to 162,169 in November 2012 and 174,443 in December 2011.

“We are encouraged to see our unemployment rate drop once again,” Bentley said in a release. “Over the past 12 months we have seen the total number of unemployed persons drop by nearly 22,000. Still, we must remember that many people are looking for work. Job creation remains my number one priority and I will continue working every day to bring more jobs to Alabama.”

Figures from the Alabama Department of Labor showed annual gains in wage and salary employment in the manufacturing sector (up 7,600), the professional and business services sector (up 4,500), the leisure and hospitality sector (up 3,400) and the trade, transportation and utilities sector (up 2,500).