DEMOPOLIS &045; As the state unemployment rate falls, so too does the number of individuals in the area who are struggling to find work.

Governor Bob Riley said the state’s unemployment rate fell to 3.3 percent in January, which means the majority of Alabamians seeking work have found it. Though it might not appear so by looking at the numbers, the drop was a significant change from the previous month of December when the state’s unemployment rate in was 3.7 percent.

The influx of new development and industry to the Demopolis area has made its mark on the unemployment of the area. Employment agencies in the area have also noticed a change brought about by the drop in the unemployment rate of the state.

Lee said the majority of skilled workers in the area are employed, which bodes well for the local economy. John Laney on the Industrial Development Board for the city said a lot of the lack of unemployment could be attributed to the amount of new businesses in the area.

The Industrial Development Board is not resting on its heels after the success of the new industries cutting the number of those individuals out of work. Laney said the board is currently working on several projects that could bring even more jobs to the area.

The governor’s office said the number of unemployed Alabamians decreased from 82,891 in December to 73,848 in January and over the past 12 months, the number of employed Alabamians increased by 35,900. The comparable national unemployment rate for January was 4.6 percent.