Counties with the highest unemployment in Kentucky

2024 ended on a high note, with the unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 4.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Jan. 10.

Unemployment rates were higher in November than the prior year in 308 of 389 metro areas, though they dropped in 60 areas and remained unchanged in 21 areas, the BLS reported.

The lion’s share of job growth remained in government, social assistance, and health care, with openings in nursing, residential care facilities, and home health care leading employment in the latter sector.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Kentucky, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in November 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.

Key takeaways: Biden’s economic legacy, inauguration day, and immigration’s impact on jobs

The latest BLS report highlights the final job figures under the Biden administration, giving the outgoing president a win during his final weeks in office. President Biden highlighted the creation of 16.6 million jobs during his term in a Jan. 11 statement.

“Although I inherited the worst economic crisis in decades with unemployment above 6% when I took office, we’ve had the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in 50 years with unemployment at 4.1% as I leave,” he said.

Incoming President-elect Donald Trump will inherit a strong economy, with forecasts tracking ongoing growth into 2025. However, uncertainty remains. Trump’s proposed tariffs on foreign goods coupled with a sweeping deportation operation may have a significant impact on the economy, accelerating inflation and tamping down job growth, some experts forecast.

“I worry that immigration will be significantly lower than the long-term average of 1.0 million. I worry that tariffs will be universal and lead to a trade war. That would not be good for the economy and earnings,” Hugh Johnson, chairman emeritus at Graypoint, told U.S. News.

What does all this mean for middle-class Americans? The unemployment rate is projected to remain stable, only creeping up to 4.3%, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest Summary of Economic Projections. Experts suggest paying down mortgages, revisiting investment strategies, and paying attention to taxes before rates possibly shift as Inauguration Day draws close.

The big story: California wildfires still rage

Although Goldman predicts only a “modest drag” on U.S. jobs due to the devastating California wildfires, the situation is still ongoing. Small businesses destroyed by the fires will impact local jobs; in the wake of the fires, a surge in construction and the need for labor and materials might lead to localized shortages and rising costs, impacting several industries.

However, amid political and environmental uncertainty, it’s unclear which way the winds will blow. Americans will have to simply wait for the smoke to clear.

To get a better idea of your community’s current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Kentucky.

#50. Union County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,187 people (340 unemployed)

#49. Grayson County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,520 people (577 unemployed)

#48. Whitley County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,080 people (771 unemployed)

#47. McLean County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,972 people (224 unemployed)

#46. Breckinridge County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,121 people (452 unemployed)

#45. Laurel County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 25,518 people (1,423 unemployed)

#44. Christian County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 25,431 people (1,435 unemployed)

#43. Livingston County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,753 people (213 unemployed)

#42. Edmonson County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,986 people (283 unemployed)

#41. Adair County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,674 people (441 unemployed)

#40. Fleming County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,093 people (351 unemployed)

#39. Lincoln County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,515 people (548 unemployed)

#38. Pulaski County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 25,794 people (1,505 unemployed)

#37. Fulton County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,203 people (130 unemployed)

#36. Estill County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,299 people (312 unemployed)

#35. Rowan County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,518 people (621 unemployed)

#34. Robertson County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 825 people (50 unemployed)

#33. Lee County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,290 people (140 unemployed)

#32. Clinton County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,429 people (213 unemployed)

#31. Russell County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,604 people (408 unemployed)

#30. Bath County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,759 people (301 unemployed)

#29. Mason County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,639 people (420 unemployed)

#28. Wayne County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,003 people (444 unemployed)

#27. Boyd County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 17,313 people (1,098 unemployed)

#26. Ohio County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,210 people (594 unemployed)

#25. Bell County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,610 people (558 unemployed)

#24. Menifee County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,361 people (155 unemployed)

#23. Perry County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,044 people (532 unemployed)

#22. Greenup County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 12,994 people (859 unemployed)

#21. Pike County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 19,770 people (1,303 unemployed)

#20. Lawrence County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,054 people (405 unemployed)

#19. Jackson County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,389 people (299 unemployed)

#18. Wolfe County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,259 people (155 unemployed)

#17. McCreary County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,806 people (333 unemployed)

#16. Muhlenberg County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,277 people (714 unemployed)

#15. Knox County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,151 people (730 unemployed)

#14. Floyd County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,440 people (820 unemployed)

#13. Johnson County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,942 people (512 unemployed)

#12. Carter County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,713 people (727 unemployed)

#11. Owsley County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,186 people (94 unemployed)

#10. Knott County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,320 people (342 unemployed)

#9. Letcher County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.0%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,129 people (488 unemployed)

#8. Clay County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,281 people (426 unemployed)

#7. Lewis County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,486 people (368 unemployed)

#6. Elliott County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 2.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,948 people (168 unemployed)

#5. Leslie County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,554 people (221 unemployed)

#4. Breathitt County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.9%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 2.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,208 people (286 unemployed)

#3. Harlan County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 2.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,718 people (623 unemployed)

#2. Magoffin County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,301 people (327 unemployed)

#1. Martin County

– November unemployment rate (preliminary): 11.8%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 3.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,223 people (263 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Elena Cox, writing by Alizah Salario, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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