A new jobs report shows unemployment rates fell in 83 Kentucky counties, rose in 33 and remained the same in 4 between April 2015 and April 2016.
According to the Kentucky Office of Unemployment and Training eastern Kentucky has the highest unemployment rates. The Jackson Purchase and Pennyrile are faring better, with rates generally closer to the national unemployment rate.
Highest and Lowest
The ongoing decline of the Kentucky coal industry is the likely cause for the highest unemployment rates found in the Cumberland Plateau. Nearly every county on the far eastern side of the commonwealth has an unemployment rate higher than 7%. Magoffin County (Salyersville) leads with 15.8%, followed by Leslie County (Hyden) at 11.6% and Harlan County (Harlan) at 10.9%.
The lowest rates are generally found in the bluegrass region of Lexington, Louisville, Frankfort and Covington. Woodford County (Versailles) has the lowest rate at 2.9%, followed by Oldham County (La Grange) at 3.2% and Fayette County (Lexington) at 3.3%.
Western Kentucky
The Pennyrile and Jackson Purchase regions are faring better, slightly above the national unemployment rate. The Pennyrile region is 5.4% (5.7% in April 2015), Jackson Purchase is at 5% (5.1% in April 2015).
The recent closure of the Verso paper mill in Wickliffe likely contributed to Ballard County having the highest jobless rate in our region at 7.6% (5.8% last year). followed by Livingston and Muhlenberg at 6.2% and Fulton at 6.1%.
On the low end, Calloway's jobless rate is only 4%, followed by Todd at 4.1% and Hickman at 4.7%.
Unlike the national rates, these rates are not seasonally adjusted. The national unemployment rate is 4.7%
