The unemployment rate in Chilton County jumped slightly to 4.8 percent in August from 4.7 percent in July, the state Department of Industrial Relations reported.

The increase in unemployment from the previous year is significant, considering the 3.4-percent figure recorded for August 2007.

The numbers translate to 959 unemployed persons in Chilton County in August, compared to 946 in July and 674 a year ago.

Chilton County has the 10th lowest unemployment rate in the state and is ranked alongside St. Clair and Cleburne counties.

The state rate headed in the opposite direction, declining to 4.9 percent in August from 5.1 percent in July. The Alabama jobless rate in August 2007 was 3.6 percent.

“The number of employed Alabamians increased by 3,200 from July to August, while there

were over 3,800 fewer unemployed,” said Tom Surtees, Alabama Department of Industrial Relations

director.

The national unemployment rate rose to 6.1 percent in August, compared to 5.7 percent in July.

Over the year, there was a net gain of 5,500 wage and salary jobs in Alabama. The majority of

the annual growth occurred in the government sector (+5,500), followed by professional and business

services (+5,300), and construction (+1,100). The majority of job losses occurred in manufacturing

(-8,300).

The lowest county unemployment rates for August are: Shelby (3.6 percent), Madison

(3.8 percent), Blount (4.1 percent), Baldwin (4.2 percent) and Limestone (4.3 percent). The highest

county rates for August are: Chambers (14.3 percent), Wilcox (13.4 percent), Bullock (12.2 percent),

Dallas (11.5 percent), and Perry (11.3 percent).