Unemployment rates fell in all but one county in Kentucky between November 2024 and November 2025.
Pike County was the only one in the commonwealth to experience an increase in unemployment during that time frame. It sits at 7.2%. That's according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics, which is an agency within the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet.
Martin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate at 8.4%. It was followed by Lewis County, 7.8%; Magoffin County, 7.6%; Wolfe County, 7.2%; Elliott and Jackson counties, 7.1% each; Carter and Lawrence counties, 6.6% each; and Knott County, 6.4%.
Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the commonwealth at 3.5%. It was followed by Fayette, Oldham, and Shelby counties, 3.7% each; Bourbon, Caldwell, Scott, Todd, and Washington counties, 3.8% each; and Campbell, Franklin, Graves, Harrison, Jessamine, Nicholas, and Spencer counties, 3.9% each.
Kentucky’s county unemployment rates and employment levels are not seasonally adjusted because of small sample sizes. Employment statistics undergo sharp fluctuations due to seasonal events such as weather changes, harvests, holidays, and school openings and closings. Seasonal adjustments eliminate these influences and make it easier to observe statistical trends.
The comparable, unadjusted unemployment rate for the state was 4.5% for November 2025, and 4.3% for the nation.
Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted November 2025 unemployment rate was released on Jan. 8, 2026, and can be viewed here.
Unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working. Civilian labor force statistics include non-military workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks. The data should only be compared to the same month in previous year.
