In this Friday, Jan. 11, 2013 file photo, a robot paints brake drums at Webb Wheel Products in Cullman, Ala.

More Alabamians are working, with the latest jobs report showing a preliminary, seasonally adjusted June rate of 4.6 percent, down from May’s rate of 4.9 percent, and significantly lower than June 2016’s rate of 5.8 percent.

While Cullman County has one of the lowest unemployment rates at 4.3 percent — along with Elmore and Baldwin counties — its unemployment rate edged up to 1,656 from May’s 1,331 (or 3.5 percent) but still down from June 2016’s 2,005 (or 5.3 percent).

There were 36,461 employed in Cullman County in June, down slightly from May’s 36,528, but up from June 2016’s 35,750. The civilian labor force also grew in June to 38,1117 from May’s 37,859 and June 2016 ‘s 37,755.

“Alabama’s unemployment continues to drop, and our economy continues to add jobs. As of now, we are only two-tenths of a percentage point away from catching up to the national unemployment rate,” said Governor Kay Ivey. “Even though our numbers are improving, I continue to pledge to work even harder to make sure that any Alabamian who wants a job can find one.”

Alabama’s June’s rate represents 100,376 unemployed persons, compared to 107,223 in May and 125,000 in June 2016. 2,077,275 people were counted as employed in June, down slightly from May’s count of 2,088,502, but well above June 2016’s count of 2,040,370.

Shelby County had the lowest at 3.8 percent and neighboring Marshall County at 4.5 percent. Counties with the highest unemployment rates were Wilcox County at 13.5 percent, Clarke County at 10.6 percent, and Perry County at 10.2 percent.

Major cities with the lowest unemployment rates were Vestavia Hills at 3.2 percent, Hoover at 3.6 percent, and Homewood at 3.7 percent. Major cities with the highest unemployment rates were Prichard and Selma at 10.1 percent, Anniston at 7 percent, and Mobile and Bessemer at 6.5 percent.

“For the third month in a row, we can report that our wage and salary employment is topping two million jobs. This has been a milestone we’ve strived to reach for years, and is an excellent indicator of economic health,” said Washington. “We’ve added 46,100 private sector jobs since January, and our over the year job growth rate was 1.8 percent, the highest it’s been in 11 years!”

The last time the yearly growth in wage and salary employment measured more than 1.8 percent was in June 2006, when it measured 2.2 percent.

Wage and salary employment increased in June by 6,000 to 2,016,400. Monthly gains were seen in the leisure and hospitality sector (+6,000), the other services sector (+1,200), and the professional and business services sector (+1,000), among others.

Over the year, wage and salary employment increased 34,800, with gains in the leisure and hospitality sector (+10,800), the professional and business services sector (+6,900), and the education and health services sector (+6,200), among others.