MONTGOMERY – Alabama’s unemployment rate rose to 5.3 percent in September.

State Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees said the rate was up from 4.9 percent in August.

The national jobless rate remained at 6.1 percent last month.

Alabama counties with the lowest unemployment rates were Shelby at 3.6 percent, Madison at 3.8 percent. Baldwin, Tuscaloosa and Blount counties had identical jobless rates of 4.3 percent.

Counties with the highest unemployment numbers were in Chambers at 14.5 percent, Wilcox at 13.4 percent, Bullock with 11.5 percent and Dallas at 11.1 percent.