Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Kentucky

Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.

As of August of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.1% higher than in May, marking a three-month stagnation—following a steady drop since that aforementioned COVID-affected peak. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.8% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in New Mexico and 5.2% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.

To that end, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in Kentucky using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in July 2022, which as of this writing is the most current Bureau data.

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#50. Meade County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.7%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 11,955 (557 unemployed)

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#49. Montgomery County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.7%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 11,794 (554 unemployed)

Dcoetzee // Wikimedia Commons

#48. Trigg County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.7%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 6,169 (287 unemployed)

No machine-readable author provided. Blinutne assumed (based on copyright claims). // Wikimedia Commons

#47. Whitley County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.7%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 14,267 (670 unemployed)

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#46. Adair County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 7,071 (343 unemployed)

Huw Williams (Huwmanbeing) // Wikimedia Commons

#45. Grayson County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 10,441 (515 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#44. Livingston County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 3,609 (178 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#43. Metcalfe County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 3,935 (192 unemployed)

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Robertson County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: +0.1%
-Total Labor Force: 819 (40 unemployed)

JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons

#41. Wayne County

– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 7,175 (355 unemployed)

FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore // Wikimedia Commons

#40. Lincoln County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.0%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 9,244 (464 unemployed)

Greg5030 // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Mason County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.0%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 6,648 (334 unemployed)

verygreen // Wikimedia Commons

#38. Rockcastle County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.0%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 6,566 (329 unemployed)

Huw Williams (Huwmanbeing) // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Edmonson County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.1%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.5%
-Total Labor Force: 4,635 (237 unemployed)

Joel Bradshaw // Wikimedia Commons

#36. Ohio County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.1%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 9,111 (462 unemployed)

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#35. Bath County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 4,702 (243 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#34. Estill County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 5,183 (269 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#33. Morgan County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 4,243 (220 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Russell County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 6,172 (318 unemployed)

Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Ballard County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.3%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 3,464 (185 unemployed)

Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Christian County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.4%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 25,195 (1,363 unemployed)

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Rowan County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.4%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 9,696 (524 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Bell County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.5%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 8,142 (448 unemployed)

w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Boyd County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.6%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 17,376 (981 unemployed)

Kybluegrass // Wikimedia Commons

#26. McCreary County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.6%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 4,751 (266 unemployed)

Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Fulton County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.7%
— 1 month change: +0.7%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 2,120 (121 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Menifee County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.7%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 2,352 (135 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Perry County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.7%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 7,901 (447 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Pike County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.7%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 18,984 (1,074 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Knox County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.8%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 10,184 (589 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Lawrence County

– Current Unemployment rate: 5.8%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 5,541 (320 unemployed)

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Lee County

– Current Unemployment rate: 6.2%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 2,026 (125 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Wolfe County

– Current Unemployment rate: 6.3%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.4%
-Total Labor Force: 2,232 (141 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Clay County

– Current Unemployment rate: 6.4%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
-Total Labor Force: 5,126 (327 unemployed)

Turover // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Greenup County

– Current Unemployment rate: 6.4%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 13,110 (835 unemployed)

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Jackson County

– Current Unemployment rate: 6.4%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 4,073 (262 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Floyd County

– Current Unemployment rate: 6.5%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 10,917 (710 unemployed)

HiB2Bornot2B // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Johnson County

– Current Unemployment rate: 6.5%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 6,681 (436 unemployed)

Megangen1990 // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Muhlenberg County

– Current Unemployment rate: 6.7%
— 1 month change: +0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 9,436 (628 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Letcher County

– Current Unemployment rate: 6.8%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 6,028 (410 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Knott County

– Current Unemployment rate: 7.2%
— 1 month change: +0.1%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 4,261 (306 unemployed)

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Harlan County

– Current Unemployment rate: 7.5%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
-Total Labor Force: 6,569 (491 unemployed)

C. Bedford Crenshaw // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Lewis County

– Current Unemployment rate: 7.5%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 4,756 (357 unemployed)

JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Owsley County

– Current Unemployment rate: 7.5%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 1,059 (79 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Leslie County

– Current Unemployment rate: 7.9%
— 1 month change: -0.1%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 2,514 (199 unemployed)

CoryClaxon // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Carter County

– Current Unemployment rate: 8.4%
— 1 month change: +0.1%
— 1 year change: +0.1%
-Total Labor Force: 9,716 (819 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Martin County

– Current Unemployment rate: 8.8%
— 1 month change: +0.1%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
-Total Labor Force: 2,245 (197 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Elliott County

– Current Unemployment rate: 8.9%
— 1 month change: -0.7%
— 1 year change: +0.1%
-Total Labor Force: 1,849 (165 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Breathitt County

– Current Unemployment rate: 9.1%
— 1 month change: 0.0%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 3,210 (292 unemployed)

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Magoffin County

– Current Unemployment rate: 11.2%
— 1 month change: -0.9%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 3,300 (369 unemployed)