Chilton County’s unemployment rate remained unchanged for the month of February, staying at 9.7 percent.

Statewide, unemployment also remained the same, staying at 9.3 percent. The percentage equates to 197, 056 Alabamians without jobs. Of those, 1,839 are from Chilton County.

“Our unemployment rate for the month remained stable and did not increase,” said Tom Surtees, Alabama Department of Industrial Relations director. “[That’s] something we’re always glad to say.”

On a national scale, the unemployment rate dropped ever so slightly to 8.9 percent. This was the third month in a row that the national rate fell, and the first time since April 2009 that the rate was below 9 percent.

The counties with highest unemployment rates were Wilcox with 21.4 percent, Monroe with 16.9 percent, and Clarke with 16.6 percent.

The counties with the lowest unemployment rate were Shelby at 7.1 percent, Coffee at 7.5 percent, and Madison with 7.8 percent.