EDITORS NOTE: January county unemployment rate charts are posted at http://workforce.ky.gov/Jan05charts.pdf. Acrobat Reader is required to view charts. Click http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html to download Acrobat Reader.

Unemployment rates dropped in 97 Kentucky counties between January 2004 and January 2005, rose in 17 counties and six counties stayed the same, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training in the Education Cabinet.

In January 2005, seven counties had jobless rates at or above 10 percent, and 11 counties recorded double-digit rates in January 2004.
Woodford County’s 3.6 percent jobless rate was the lowest in the commonwealth. Other low rates were recorded in Oldham County, 3.8 percent; Fayette County, 4 percent; Shelby County, 4.1 percent: Warren County, 4.2 percent; Jessamine County, 4.3 percent; Franklin County, 4.5 percent; Scott County, 4.6 percent; and Boone, Madison and Spencer counties, 4.7 percent each.

Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate - 12.9 percent. It was followed by Elliott County, 11.8 percent; Mkkorgan and Wolfe counties, 11 percent each; Lewis County, 10.7 percent; Nicholas County, 10.1 percent; Menifee County, 10 percent; Graves County, 9.7 percent; Carter County, 9.4 percent; and McCreary County, 9.2 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 counties figures.

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

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