Much of Alabama’s local economy is thriving.
Data recently released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis revealed GDP at the county level. In Alabama, things were increasing almost everywhere in 2024 – the last year covered in the release.
Some 97% – 65 of the state’s 67 counties – saw an increase in their domestic product, or the amount of goods and services they produced. In comparison, about 73% of all districts in the country saw economic growth.
In Alabama, no area has seen greater gains than Washington County, home to fewer than 15,000 people north of Mobile.
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Washington saw growth of nearly 13% from 2023 to 2024. Only one state in Alabama – Talladega in east Alabama – had double-digit GDP growth.
Washington’s high growth ranks 95 percent of all US states for GDP change. That means only 5% of the nation’s more than 3,000 counties have seen their economies grow faster than tiny Washington.
Small and largely rural, Washington County has been home to large industries for decades. McIntosh, located 40 miles north of Mobile, is home to nine chemical plants, including those operated by Olin Corporation and chemical giant BASF Corporation.
The primary driver of the county’s GDP growth from 2023 to 2024 was the expansion of the Linde chemical plant in McIntosh, according to Justin Lynch, the county’s interim economic development director. By the end of 2023, Linde announced that it had invested $90 million in the plant. The plant is now capable of producing 30 tons of liquid hydrogen per day, according to the company.
BASF also invested in their McIntosh campus, which increases GDP growth, Lynch said. The county wants to capitalize on its growing chemical industry and attract more businesses.
“We have places where people can get together, infrastructure. We’re open for business,” Lynch said.
McIntosh residents have long said the area’s large number of chemical plants contribute to poor public health. Lynch said he did not know McIntosh’s current health status, but said no one wants to put people’s lives at risk.
“We just want to make it a better district,” he said.
There have been signs that Washington County’s economy has been growing for several years now. In 2024, the New York Times published an analysis of job growth in the U.S. Their analysis found that Washington County gained about 2,000 jobs between 2019 and 2023.
And a new analysis from the Niskanen Center think tank found that Washington County will need people from outside its state to fill the labor shortage. The survey, which sought to identify areas where immigration could benefit the local economy and immigrants, also found that more people are leaving Washington County than arriving.
Washington County’s total GDP exceeded $1 billion for the first time in 2024. It was roughly in the middle of the pack for all counties in Alabama. The county with the largest economy by far was Jefferson, the most populous county in the state and home to Birmingham.
Jefferson County’s GDP grew by $700 million by 2024, or about 1.4%, to more than $51 billion. Next was Madison County, home to Huntsville, which produced $32 billion worth of goods and services, and saw economic growth of $1 billion, or about 3.4%.
Among Alabama’s largest counties, Mobile has seen the fastest growth. Its economy, the third largest in the state at about $24 billion, is expected to grow by 4% by 2024.
But while many counties in Alabama have seen economic growth, two counties have not.
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Autauga County, north of Montgomery, and Lawrence County in north Alabama both saw their economic output decline from 2023 to 2024. The decline in Autauga was even greater, with an almost 8% drop that meant about $150 million less in GDP.
Lawrence County saw a decrease of 6%, or about $44 million.
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