Chilton County’s preliminary unemployment rate for September of 5.3 percent is down 0.8 percent from the August rate of 6.1 percent.

The county’s preliminary unemployment rate is also 0.6-percent down from the September 2014 rate of 5.9 percent.

Gov. Robert Bentley on Friday announced that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted September unemployment rate is 6 percent, down from August’s rate of 6.2 percent, and below August 2014’s rate of 6.3 percent.

“We are extremely pleased to see a decrease in our unemployment rate this month,” Bentley said in a release. “We are seeing steady improvement, especially in our wage and salary employment. Our economy is supporting more jobs than it has all year. Just this week, we have announced 470 new future jobs for two Alabama communities. Our efforts will continue until Alabama reaches full employment.”

Wage and salary employment in September measured 1,958,800, which is the highest figure in 2015.

The last time wage and salary employment was 1,958,800 or higher in September was 2008, when it totaled 1,992,200.

Wage and salary employment in September increased by 10,000.

Monthly gains were seen in the government sector (7,400), the professional and business services sector (1,700), and the education and health services sector (1,400), among others.

Over the year, wage and salary employment increased 28,600, with gains in the leisure and hospitality sector (6,600), the education and health services sector (6,000), and the construction sector (4,400), among others.

“Every county in Alabama experience a decease in their unemployment rates this month,” Alabama Department of Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald Washington said. “We have not seen this many jobs in September since 2008. The increase in wage and salary employment increase is proof that Gov. Bentley’s efforts are working to get Alabama back to work.”

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby County at 4.1 percent, Lee County at 4.8 percent and Elmore and Cullman counties at 5.0 percent.