Counties with the highest unemployment in Kentucky
The first jobs report under the new Trump administration showed a stable job market, with the unemployment rate ticking down from 4.1% to 4% in January, the lowest since last May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Feb. 7.
The report marks 49 consecutive months of overall job growth, the second-longest recorded period since 1939.
Job losses that did occur were concentrated in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, which declined by 8,000 jobs over the month. There was little change in employment in other major industries.
To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates Kentucky, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in December 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: Jobs report reveals cooling labor market
January's job growth of 143,000 fell short of expectations, while the downward revision of 589,000 fewer jobs in 2024 suggests the labor market was weaker last year than initially thought.
Business leaders are starting to display more caution, with 67% of executives reporting higher stress levels heading into 2025, according to a survey of 1,000 executives by Sentry, a business insurance company. Among survey respondents, 47% citing economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.
"We have what I would describe as a robust but frozen labor market," Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, told The New York Times, noting that while unemployment remains low, there's very little churn or employee turnover as "businesses are being cautious as to how they manage their work force."
Moody's Analytics projects monthly payroll gains could slow to around 100,000 by year-end.
The big story: Potential for economic headwinds grows
Behind the "Now Hiring" signs and modest unemployment rate, there's growing concern on Main Street that the economy might be more fragile than it appears.
"You've already got companies hiring as if they're in a recession—even if they're not laying people off," Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CNN. Average unemployment duration, a lagging indicator, rose from 20.8 weeks in January 2024 to 22 in January of this year.
Tightening trade regulations and federal trimming could also have an impact on the job market. Experts predict the U.S. gross domestic product could take a hit due to increased tariffs. The U.S. government is the country's largest employer and contributes 36% to the GDP.
Sudden cuts to federal spending advocated by the new administration could hit the economy hard. One example of the potential fallout is that if prices were to increase further due to higher tariffs, consumer purchasing power would decline, stymieing economic growth.
Whether the effects of slashing the workforce and the budget will be exceeded by Trump's plans to loosen business regulations and cut taxes remains to be seen.
To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Kentucky.
49. Montgomery County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,838 people (690 unemployed)
49. Christian County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,349 people (1,477 unemployed)
44. Breckinridge County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,060 people (472 unemployed)
44. Grayson County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,454 people (613 unemployed)
44. Fulton County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,177 people (128 unemployed)
44. Adair County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,561 people (446 unemployed)
44. Robertson County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 798 people (47 unemployed)
42. Estill County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,292 people (318 unemployed)
42. Livingston County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,762 people (226 unemployed)
39. Pulaski County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,778 people (1,574 unemployed)
39. Edmonson County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,993 people (305 unemployed)
39. Metcalfe County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,904 people (240 unemployed)
38. Morgan County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,583 people (291 unemployed)
35. Rowan County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,517 people (676 unemployed)
35. Fleming County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,022 people (387 unemployed)
35. Lee County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,293 people (147 unemployed)
33. Bell County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,632 people (574 unemployed)
33. Russell County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,602 people (434 unemployed)
32. Bracken County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
--- 1-month change: +1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,832 people (255 unemployed)
29. Boyd County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,443 people (1,185 unemployed)
29. Wayne County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,895 people (472 unemployed)
29. Pike County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,763 people (1,340 unemployed)
26. Ohio County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,236 people (640 unemployed)
26. Perry County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,115 people (556 unemployed)
26. Lincoln County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,570 people (656 unemployed)
24. McCreary County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,805 people (334 unemployed)
24. Jackson County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,357 people (303 unemployed)
23. Mason County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,659 people (470 unemployed)
22. Floyd County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,461 people (839 unemployed)
19. Bath County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,705 people (348 unemployed)
19. Knox County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,143 people (747 unemployed)
19. Clinton County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.4%
--- 1-month change: +1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,394 people (251 unemployed)
18. Muhlenberg County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,202 people (770 unemployed)
17. Wolfe County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,243 people (171 unemployed)
15. Greenup County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.7%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,145 people (1,006 unemployed)
15. Lawrence County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.7%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,066 people (466 unemployed)
14. Letcher County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,110 people (479 unemployed)
13. Menifee County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.9%
--- 1-month change: +1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,387 people (189 unemployed)
10. Owsley County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,164 people (94 unemployed)
10. Johnson County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,995 people (568 unemployed)
10. Knott County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,339 people (350 unemployed)
9. Clay County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,332 people (458 unemployed)
7. Carter County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 9%
--- 1-month change: +1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,874 people (890 unemployed)
7. Leslie County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,568 people (230 unemployed)
6. Breathitt County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,217 people (306 unemployed)
5. Harlan County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +3.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,763 people (648 unemployed)
3. Lewis County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 10.4%
--- 1-month change: +2.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,537 people (470 unemployed)
3. Elliott County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 10.4%
--- 1-month change: +1.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,953 people (204 unemployed)
2. Magoffin County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 11%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,383 people (373 unemployed)
1. Martin County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 12.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +4.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,240 people (277 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
