Birmingham-Hoover, Alabama Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Birmingham fell 0.0 percentage points in October 2018 to 3.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.5 percentage points lower than the Alabama rate. The unemployment rate in Birmingham peaked in September 2009 at 11.1% and is now 7.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.3% in December 2017, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Birmingham unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	October 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.7%	0.0	-0.4
Alabama	4.1%	0.0	+0.3
Birmingham	3.6%	0.0	+0.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with October 2018 data as November metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Birmingham, Alabama, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Birmingham, Alabama Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Birmingham peaked in September 2009 at 58,019. There are now 38,474 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 17,460 in January 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 2,085. Birmingham employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Birmingham, Alabama) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	October 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Birmingham	19,545	+162	+1,279

Number of Unemployed Persons

Birmingham, Alabama Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Alabama Unemployment Rate	Birmingham Unemployment Rate	Birmingham Unemployed
November 2018	3.7%	—	—	—
October 2018	3.7%	4.1%	3.6%	19,545
September 2018	3.7%	4.1%	3.6%	19,383
August 2018	3.9%	4.1%	3.5%	19,002
July 2018	3.9%	4.1%	3.6%	19,799
June 2018	4.0%	4.1%	3.9%	21,323
May 2018	3.8%	3.9%	3.7%	20,073
April 2018	3.9%	3.8%	3.7%	19,821
March 2018	4.1%	3.8%	3.4%	18,445
February 2018	4.1%	3.7%	3.3%	17,800
January 2018	4.1%	3.7%	3.3%	17,460
December 2017	4.1%	3.8%	3.3%	17,656