Unemployment rates fell in 119 Kentucky counties between February 2014 and February 2015, while Russell County stayed the same, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.
Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate at 3.5 percent. It was followed by Fayette County, 4 percent; Oldham, Scott and Shelby counties, 4.1 percent each; Boone and Owen counties, 4.3 percent each; and Anderson, Jessamine, Spencer and Washington counties, 4.4 percent each.
Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate – 14.3 percent. It was followed by Elliott County, 11.8 percent; Russell County, 11.5 percent; Carter County, 11.1 percent; Harlan County, 10.5 percent; Leslie and Menifee counties, 10.3 percent each; Letcher and Wolfe counties, 10.2 percent each; and Breathitt County, 10.1 percent.
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 statistics here are not seasonally adjusted because of the small sample size for each county. The data should only be compared to the same month in previous years.
From Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet