Governor Robert Bentley announced Friday that Alabama’s November unemployment rate experienced another significant drop, falling to 8.7 percent. This is down from October’s rate of 9.3 percent, and below the November 2010 rate of 9.1 percent.

Marengo County’s rate saw a significant drop for the second consecutive month. October’s rate of 10.3 percent is down .9 points from September and much lower than the 12.4 percent posted in October 2010.

The state’s November 2011 unemployment rate represents 187,720 unemployed persons, compared to 201,042 last month and 192,613 in November 2010.

Currently, 794 county residents are without work. That number is down from 879 in September and 951 from October 2010.

“Everyday we work hard to create jobs and put Alabamians back to work. That is exactly what is happening now in our state,” said Governor Robert Bentley. “November’s drop in the unemployment rate shows positive momentum needed at a time when our economy is struggling. We still have a long way to go before we reach full employment, but another month with a decrease in unemployment is certainly a good sign our economy is improving.”

Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees added that recent unemployment rate changes are indicative of a new positive trend.

For the past several months, we’ve seen our unemployment slowly decrease,” Surtees said. “We’re gaining jobs in Alabama – over 38,000 since January alone – and that’s always welcome news.”

Total nonagricultural employment stood at 1,842,100 in January 2011 and at 1,880,700 in October, a gain of 38,600 jobs.

In October, wage and salary employment increased by 4,600 over the month, with the majority of the gains occurring in the trade, transportation, and utilities industry and the education and health services industry.