Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Kentucky

Written by:
November 15, 2022
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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 October of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.2% higher than in September. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2.0% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in Illinois and 4.7% 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 September 2022.

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Jim.henderson // Wikimedia Commons

#50. Hopkins County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 17,762 (696 unemployed)
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#49. McLean County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.1%
- Total labor force: 4,048 (156 unemployed)
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#48. Metcalfe County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 3,892 (151 unemployed)
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W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#47. Montgomery County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 11,671 (455 unemployed)
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No machine-readable author provided. Blinutne assumed (based on copyright claims). // Wikimedia Commons

#46. Whitley County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 14,159 (546 unemployed)

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#45. Estill County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 5,170 (209 unemployed)
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#44. Morgan County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 4,309 (171 unemployed)
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verygreen // Wikimedia Commons

#43. Rockcastle County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 6,565 (261 unemployed)
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Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Fulton County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 2,082 (85 unemployed)
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#41. Livingston County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 3,568 (148 unemployed)

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W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#40. Rowan County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 9,973 (405 unemployed)
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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Ballard County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 3,412 (144 unemployed)
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Huw Williams (Huwmanbeing) // Wikimedia Commons

#38. Edmonson County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 4,739 (199 unemployed)
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#37. Pulaski County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 26,083 (1,094 unemployed)
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#36. Lincoln County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 9,151 (397 unemployed)

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W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#35. Bath County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 4,638 (204 unemployed)
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#34. Christian County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 25,201 (1,112 unemployed)
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#33. Lawrence County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 5,526 (241 unemployed)
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Greg5030 // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Mason County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 6,525 (284 unemployed)
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Hunter Hawley // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Breckinridge County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: +0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 7,969 (360 unemployed)

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#30. Bell County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 8,054 (369 unemployed)
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w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Boyd County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 17,141 (785 unemployed)
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#28. Russell County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 6,109 (281 unemployed)
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Kybluegrass // Wikimedia Commons

#27. McCreary County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 4,905 (229 unemployed)
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#26. Menifee County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 2,318 (108 unemployed)

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#25. Perry County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 7,976 (375 unemployed)
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JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Wayne County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 7,081 (335 unemployed)
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#23. Wolfe County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 2,233 (106 unemployed)
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Ryan Emmick // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Hancock County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.8%
--- 1 month change: +0.9%
--- 1 year change: +0.6%
- Total labor force: 3,933 (188 unemployed)
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#21. Lee County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 1,992 (95 unemployed)

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#20. Pike County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 18,727 (900 unemployed)
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#19. Knox County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 10,115 (498 unemployed)
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Turover // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Greenup County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 12,878 (646 unemployed)
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Joel Bradshaw // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Ohio County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.0%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 9,071 (455 unemployed)
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W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Jackson County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 4,170 (214 unemployed)

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#15. Clay County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 5,151 (276 unemployed)
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Megangen1990 // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Muhlenberg County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 9,543 (513 unemployed)
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#13. Floyd County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 10,819 (593 unemployed)
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HiB2Bornot2B // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Johnson County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 6,550 (362 unemployed)
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#11. Knott County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.7%
--- 1 month change: -1.0%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 4,266 (244 unemployed)

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W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Harlan County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -2.4%
- Total labor force: 6,522 (389 unemployed)
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#9. Letcher County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 6,116 (367 unemployed)
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CoryClaxon // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Carter County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.1%
--- 1 month change: -1.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 9,732 (589 unemployed)
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#7. Leslie County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.2%
--- 1 month change: -1.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 2,513 (156 unemployed)
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C. Bedford Crenshaw // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Lewis County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.2%
--- 1 month change: -1.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 4,601 (287 unemployed)

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JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Owsley County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 1,040 (68 unemployed)
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#4. Elliott County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.6%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 1,835 (121 unemployed)
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#3. Breathitt County

- Current unemployment rate: 7.0%
--- 1 month change: -1.3%
--- 1 year change: -2.6%
- Total labor force: 3,190 (224 unemployed)
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#2. Martin County

- Current unemployment rate: 7.3%
--- 1 month change: -1.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 2,245 (164 unemployed)
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#1. Magoffin County

- Current unemployment rate: 8.9%
--- 1 month change: -2.8%
--- 1 year change: -3.6%
- Total labor force: 3,280 (291 unemployed)

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