New unemployment numbers are promising for Madison County

downtown — Huntsville reported a decrease in unemployment in July. (Lacey Muenstermann / Hville Blast)

The unemployment rate in the United States increased slightly in July, rising from 4.1% to 4.2%, but in Alabama, jobless rates continue to decrease, especially in Madison County and surrounding communities.

Not only did Madison County as a whole see unemployment rates drop in July, but Huntsville, Madison, Athens and Decatur all saw a decrease. Take a look:

Local unemployment rates continue to drop

Alabama’s unemployment rate dropped from 3.2% in June to 3.0% in July, keeping the state jobless rate well below the national rate of 4.2%.

Huntsville and most of its neighboring cities reported unemployment rates below the state rate, with Athens and Madison posting some of the lowest rates in the state.

Here’s where unemployment rates stand in Huntsville and surrounding cities:

City	July 2025 Unemployment Rate	June 2025 Unemployment Rate	July 2024 Unemployment Rate
Athens	2.3%	2.5%	2.6%
Decatur	2.6%	2.7%	3.1%
Florence	3.5%	3.5%	4.2%
Huntsville	2.6%	2.7%	3.1%
Madison	2.2%	2.3%	2.7%

Here’s a look at Madison County and its neighboring counties in July:

County	July 2025 Unemployment Rate	June 2025 Unemployment Rate	July 2024 Unemployment Rate
Jackson	3.4%	3.4%	3.9%
Limestone	2.3%	2.5%	2.8%
Madison	2.4%	2.6%	2.9%
Marshall	2.5%	2.6%	3.0%
Morgan	2.4%	2.5%	2.9%