Education and Workforce Development Cabinet
Jobless rates up in 119 counties from December 2008 to December 2009

EDITOR’S NOTE: December’s preliminary and November’s revised county unemployment rate charts are posted at http://workforce.ky.gov/Dec09charts.pdf. Acrobat Reader is required to view charts. To download Acrobat Reader, please see the end of this news release.

FRANKFORT, Ky.  — Unemployment rates rose in 119 Kentucky counties between December 2008 and December 2009, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.

Union County, the only county rate to decrease compared to last year, fell from 10.5 percent in December 2008 to 10.1 percent in December 2009. This is the first time since January 2009 that all 120 counties rates have not risen over the same month the previous year.

Fayette County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the Commonwealth at 7.3 percent. It was followed by Woodford County, 7.7 percent; Boyd County, 8 percent; Calloway and Madison counties, 8.2 percent each; Jessamine County, 8.3 percent; Oldham County, 8.4 percent; Scott County, 8.5 percent; and Franklin and Rowan counties, 8.6 percent each.

Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 21.4 percent. It was followed by Jackson County, 17.8 percent; Menifee County, 17.5 percent; Powell County, 16.9 percent; Trigg County, 16.5 percent; Grayson County, 16 percent; Bath County, 15.7 percent; Wolfe County, 15.6 percent; Morgan County, 15.1 percent; and Lewis County, 15 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 in this news release are not seasonally adjusted to allow for comparisons between United States, state and county figures.

Learn more about the Office of Employment and Training at www.workforce.ky.gov.

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