The unemployment rate in Selma and around the state of Alabama continues to plummet.

Alabama’s statewide, seasonably adjusted unemployment rate actually slightly increased to 5.9, but 61 of 63 counties around the state saw their unemployment rate drop. Dallas County’ unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent, down from 9.2 percent in October and 8.9 percent in November 2015.

Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington announced the numbers Friday.

“We’ve had continual small expansions among all of our existing industries,” said Wayne Vardaman, executive director of the Dallas County Economic Authority. “Things are looking good.”

After a great deal of time around the top three of the state in unemployment rate, Dallas County now ranks as the seventh highest. Wilcox County is at 14.3 percent and has the state’s highest unemployment rate.

Vardaman said the manufacturing sector is doing well in Dallas County, but that no particular industry played a role in the lower unemployment numbers. He said it was a group effort, involving the healthcare, retail, education and manufacturing fields, among others.

The number of people employed in Dallas County actually dropped from October, but the civilian workforce also dropped from 15,787 to 15,649. A total of 14,205 people are employed in Dallas County.

Vardaman said many people aren’t aware that 5,200 people drive into Selma from neighboring counties every day to work in Dallas County, which impacts unemployment rate numbers for nearby counties.

Vardaman said there are jobs available, but in many cases, there is not a candidate in Dallas County that is both qualified and interested in the job.

“We are providing jobs not only for people here, but we are providing jobs for people in these other counties,” Vardaman said.

Statewide the unemployment rate has dropped from 6.2 percent in November 2015 to 5.9 percent this year.

“More people are working now than at any time in 2016,” Washington said in a press release. “In fact, more people are working now than since April 2008. Additionally, there are more people in the workforce than there have been in over five years. This means Alabamians have increased confidence in the economy. As for those counted as unemployed, November’s count ranks as one of the lowest five months since 2008.”

Counties with the lowest unemployment rate are Shelby County at 4.1 percent and Lee, Elmore and Cullman County at 4.7 percent.

The counties with the highest unemployment are Wilcox at 14.3 percent, Clarke County at 10.9 percent and Greene County at 10.1 percent.