State releases county unemployment data for March 2018

FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 26, 2018) – Unemployment rates fell in all 120 Kentucky counties between March 2017 and March 2018, according to the Kentucky Center for Education and Workforce Statistics (KCEWS), an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.   

Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the Commonwealth at 3.1 percent. It was followed by Campbell and Oldham counties, 3.3 percent each; Fayette, Scott and Shelby counties, 3.4 percent each; Boone, Marion and Spencer counties, 3.5 percent each; and Kenton, Warren and Washington counties, 3.6 percent each.

Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate at 13.9 percent. It was followed by Elliott and Menifee counties, 9 percent each; Lewis County, 8.6 percent; Carter County, 8.5 percent; Owsley and Wayne counties, 7.7 percent each; Lawrence County, 7.6 percent; and Ballard and Wolfe counties, 7.5 percent 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 4.4 percent for March 2018, and 4.1 percent for the nation.

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 years.

Learn more about Kentucky labor market information at https://kcews.ky.gov/KYLMI.

                                                                                (30)

 

 

 

​​

​​​​

​​​​​​​​​