n addition to Tuscaloosa County's Metropolitan Area work force of more than 83,000, our county's available work force includes persons from the entire West Alabama region and Jefferson County. Tuscaloosa County is the trade center for West Alabama and provides the greatest opportunity for employment for those individuals from surrounding rural communities.

According to a 1999 Labor Assessment, the Tuscaloosa area labor shed has a combined civilian labor force of approximately 129,000 people. About 5,600 people are shown to be in the unemployed category in that area while approximately 32,000 people are defined as UNDEREMPLOYED, or individuals who are currently employed and who possess the skills, education and experience to qualify for a better job.