About 7,180 Madison County residents were out of work and looking in September, 1,458 more than a year earlier. The rate rose to 3.2%, below June's 3.4% high.
Madison County’s unemployment rate was 3.2% in September, up from 2.5% a year earlier. That is the latest county figure from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and it is preliminary.
Updated Nov. 1: this story now carries the September figures and the revised August numbers. It first ran Oct. 18 with August as the latest month.
The rate ticked up from 3.0% in August. It is still below this summer’s high of 3.4% in June.
Huntsville’s own rate was also 3.2% in September, against 2.6% a year earlier, BLS figures for the city show.
The numbers
| September 2025 | September 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County rate | 2.5% | 3.2% | Up 0.7 point |
| Madison County residents unemployed | 5,725 | 7,183 | Up 1,458 |
| Madison County labor force | 227,621 | 227,978 | Up 357 |
| Huntsville city rate | 2.6% | 3.2% | Up 0.6 point |
| Huntsville city residents unemployed | 3,242 | 4,015 | Up 773 |
| Alabama rate | 3.0% | 3.7% | Up 0.7 point |
Sources: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics series for Madison County unemployed, Madison County labor force, Huntsville city unemployed and Alabama. All figures are not seasonally adjusted, so each month is compared with the same month a year earlier.
The labor force counts residents who have a job or are actively looking for one. It was almost flat over the year, so the rise in the rate comes from more people looking for work, not from a bigger workforce.
Madison County still runs below the state. Alabama’s rate, on the same unadjusted basis, was 3.7% in September.
August, revised
The BLS revised August when it published September. The county rate stayed at 3.0%. The number of unemployed residents was revised to 6,861, from 6,867, and the labor force to 226,048, from 225,813. Huntsville’s August count was revised to 3,943 unemployed, from 3,948.
Month by month
| Month | Madison County rate |
|---|---|
| August 2025 | 2.5% |
| September 2025 | 2.5% |
| October 2025 | Not published |
| November 2025 | 2.1% |
| December 2025 | 1.9% |
| January 2026 | 2.5% |
| February 2026 | 2.8% |
| March 2026 | 2.4% |
| April 2026 | 2.2% |
| May 2026 | 2.9% |
| June 2026 | 3.4% |
| July 2026 | 3.2% |
| August 2026 | 3.0% |
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 3.2% |
The BLS published no October 2025 figure. Its series notes say the data are “unavailable due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations,” the federal government shutdown.
The low point in the past year was 1.9% in December. Because these figures are not seasonally adjusted, the comparison with the same month a year earlier is the fairer test, and it shows a rise.
What it means for you
About 7,180 county residents were out of work and looking in September, roughly 1,460 more than a year before.
The figures count people who live in Madison County, wherever they work, including those with jobs outside the county.
The September number will be revised when October’s figures come out. We will update this story then.
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