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.

Experts are mixed in their 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 September 2023, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—equal to the previous month, and up about 0.3 percentage points from the same time last year. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.6% in Maryland to 5.4% in Nevada.

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 September 2023, 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.

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#50. Butler County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,950 people (233 unemployed)

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#49. Rockcastle County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,483 people (304 unemployed)

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#48. Lincoln County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,358 people (438 unemployed)

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#47. Whitley County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,150 people (671 unemployed)

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#46. Hickman County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,560 people (75 unemployed)

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#45. Metcalfe County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,774 people (181 unemployed)

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#44. Estill County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,130 people (247 unemployed)

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#43. Meade County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,453 people (550 unemployed)

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#42. Pulaski County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 25,036 people (1,208 unemployed)

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#41. Clinton County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,435 people (169 unemployed)

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#40. Livingston County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,691 people (180 unemployed)

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#39. Rowan County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,307 people (508 unemployed)

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#38. Morgan County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,026 people (202 unemployed)

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#37. Russell County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,204 people (310 unemployed)

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#36. Breckinridge County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,802 people (387 unemployed)

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#35. Christian County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 24,431 people (1,228 unemployed)

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#34. Bath County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,641 people (238 unemployed)

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#33. Adair County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,975 people (357 unemployed)

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#32. Fulton County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,096 people (110 unemployed)

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#31. Wolfe County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,317 people (123 unemployed)

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#30. Edmonson County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,734 people (249 unemployed)

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#29. Mason County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,458 people (343 unemployed)

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#28. Menifee County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,376 people (128 unemployed)

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#27. Boyd County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 17,010 people (940 unemployed)

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#26. Lawrence County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,625 people (319 unemployed)

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#25. Wayne County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,753 people (385 unemployed)

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#24. Jackson County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,100 people (238 unemployed)

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#23. McCreary County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,694 people (279 unemployed)

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#22. Perry County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,002 people (473 unemployed)

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#21. Bell County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,118 people (482 unemployed)

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#20. Ohio County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,953 people (528 unemployed)

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#19. Pike County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 18,606 people (1,101 unemployed)

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#18. Knox County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,096 people (605 unemployed)

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#17. Floyd County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,839 people (651 unemployed)

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#16. Lee County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,017 people (125 unemployed)

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#15. Muhlenberg County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,731 people (610 unemployed)

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#14. Greenup County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 12,810 people (819 unemployed)

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#13. Knott County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,247 people (277 unemployed)

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#12. Johnson County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,603 people (431 unemployed)

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#11. Lewis County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,402 people (291 unemployed)

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#10. Clay County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,007 people (330 unemployed)

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#9. Letcher County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,720 people (385 unemployed)

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#8. Harlan County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,249 people (429 unemployed)

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#7. Carter County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
— 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,515 people (656 unemployed)

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#6. Breathitt County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,060 people (222 unemployed)

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#5. Owsley County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,020 people (75 unemployed)

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#4. Leslie County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,511 people (187 unemployed)

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#3. Elliott County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,849 people (139 unemployed)

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#2. Martin County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,146 people (192 unemployed)

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#1. Magoffin County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,226 people (291 unemployed)

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