Dallas County’s unemployment rate is on the decline, according to information released by the Alabama Department of Labor.

Statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment fell to 5.8 percent in March and that was reflected across the state, including locally right here in Dallas County.

Unemployment fell to 8.4 percent in March, down from 8.2 percent in February and 8.7 percent in March 2016.

The number of people listed as employed increased from 14,249 in February to 14,558 in March.

“I am encouraged to hear that nearly 13,000 more Alabamians have a job today than did in February. As we work to improve Alabama’s image, these figures are welcomed news, but they are just a start. I am honored that the first employment numbers announced during my administration are on the right side of the ledger,” said Gov. Kay Ivey.

“The month’s drop in the unemployment rate came about because more people entered the labor force looking for work, and most of them found it,” said Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington.

“Thirteen thousand more people are working today in Alabama than last month and nearly 43,000 more are working now than in March of last year. We are also very close to reaching an employment milestone: a wage and salary employment figure of two million. We’re only 10,000 jobs away from reaching this goal, which hasn’t been met since June 2008 and has, in fact, only been achieved 13 times over the past ten years.”

Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are: Shelby County at 4 percent, Elmore County at 4.4 percent, and Cullman County at 4.5 percent. Counties with the highest unemployment rates are: Wilcox County at 13.8 percent, Clarke and Greene Counties at 9.6 percent and Lowndes County at 9.3 percent.