The unemployment rate in Jefferson County dropped to its lowest point since 1990 during May, according to figures from the state Employment Security Department.
May’s unemployment, at 4.3 percent, is still almost a full percent above the lowest recorded since 1980 — the earliest date jobless records are archived by the state.
Jefferson’s lowest unemployment rate was in June 1990 when 3.5 percent of the available work force was without work.
The rate was at or below 4 percent four other months during the spring and summer of 1990.
Unemployment has been at less than 6 percent since June of last year, with a low of 5.3 percent in August. The rate started out at 5.8 percent in January this year, dropped to 5.5 percent in February, 5 percent in March and 4.9 percent in April.