Counties with the highest unemployment in Kentucky

While today’s unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Kentucky using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in March 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Experts have mixed views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.

The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.

But as of April 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9%—up slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.

Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Kentucky.

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#50. Christian County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 24,970 people (1,426 unemployed)

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#49. Edmonson County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,896 people (285 unemployed)

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#48. Pulaski County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 25,296 people (1,464 unemployed)

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#47. McLean County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,920 people (230 unemployed)

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#46. Union County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,045 people (357 unemployed)

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#45. Whitley County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 13,755 people (810 unemployed)

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#44. Hopkins County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 18,601 people (1,095 unemployed)

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#43. Lincoln County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,376 people (560 unemployed)

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#42. Montgomery County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,685 people (705 unemployed)

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#41. Estill County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,192 people (319 unemployed)

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#40. Fleming County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,148 people (372 unemployed)

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#39. Adair County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,566 people (468 unemployed)

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#38. Livingston County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,688 people (237 unemployed)

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#37. Russell County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,561 people (419 unemployed)

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#36. Lee County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,238 people (145 unemployed)

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#35. Clinton County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,460 people (230 unemployed)

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#34. Bracken County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,818 people (252 unemployed)

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#33. Wayne County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,974 people (457 unemployed)

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#32. Bell County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,466 people (562 unemployed)

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#31. Boyd County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 17,295 people (1,136 unemployed)

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#30. Robertson County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 810 people (54 unemployed)

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#29. Mason County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,584 people (439 unemployed)

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#28. Jackson County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,239 people (290 unemployed)

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#27. Morgan County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,525 people (308 unemployed)

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#26. Rowan County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,563 people (716 unemployed)

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#25. Pike County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 19,340 people (1,319 unemployed)

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#24. Wolfe County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,178 people (150 unemployed)

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#23. Ohio County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,135 people (629 unemployed)

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#22. Knox County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.0%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,888 people (689 unemployed)

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#21. Perry County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,993 people (565 unemployed)

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#20. Muhlenberg County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,235 people (750 unemployed)

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#19. Greenup County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 13,031 people (953 unemployed)

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#18. McCreary County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.4%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,776 people (352 unemployed)

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#17. Lawrence County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,796 people (431 unemployed)

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#16. Bath County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,741 people (362 unemployed)

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#15. Harlan County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,509 people (498 unemployed)

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#14. Floyd County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.7%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,129 people (857 unemployed)

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#13. Letcher County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,102 people (478 unemployed)

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#12. Owsley County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.9%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,155 people (91 unemployed)

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#11. Clay County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.9%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,162 people (410 unemployed)

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#10. Leslie County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,517 people (210 unemployed)

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#9. Johnson County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,817 people (569 unemployed)

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#8. Knott County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,283 people (362 unemployed)

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#7. Menifee County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,359 people (203 unemployed)

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#6. Carter County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.7%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,689 people (843 unemployed)

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#5. Lewis County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.8%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,545 people (399 unemployed)

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#4. Elliott County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,940 people (179 unemployed)

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#3. Breathitt County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.3%
— 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,228 people (299 unemployed)

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#2. Martin County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 10.1%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 2.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,250 people (227 unemployed)

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#1. Magoffin County

– February unemployment rate (preliminary): 11.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,217 people (357 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.