Though Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Suretees announced today that Alabama’s August unemployment rate dropped to 9.2 percent, down from 9.7 percent in July, Crenshaw County’s rate rose slightly.

The comparable rate for August 2009 was 10.6 percent for the state.

Crenshaw County clocked in at 8.5 percent unemployment in July, but that number moved to 8.7 percent in August, a difference of 19 unemployed citizens and a slightly increased overall workforce.

Crenshaw County’s biggest drop in unemployment came from June (9.5 percent) to July (8.5 percent).

However, the lower state unemployment rate is still welcomed by officials.

“Today’s new is certainly good news,” said Surtees. “This marks the first time in nearly two years that Alabama’s unemployment rate has been below the national average.  That is most definitely a sign that Alabama’s economy is slowly but surely recovering from this economic recession.”

The national unemployment rate for August 2010 was 9.6 percent.  The last time Alabama’s unemployment rate was below the national average was in November of 2008, when our rate was 6.7 percent, compared to the national rate of 6.9 percent.

The counties with the lowest unemployment rates were: Shelby at 6.8 percent, Madison at 7.1 percent and Coffee at 7.3 percent.

The counties with the highest unemployment rates were: Wilcox at 21.3 percent, Greene at 18.8 percent and Dallas at 17.8 percent.