Education Cabinet
Jobless rates up in 94 counties from January 2005 to January 2006

EDITORS NOTE: January county unemployment rate charts are posted at http://workforce.ky.gov/Jan06charts.pdf. Acrobat Reader is required to view charts. To download Acrobat Reader, please see the end of this news release.

Unemployment rates rose in 94 Kentucky counties between January 2005 and January 2006, fell in 22 counties and stayed the same in four counties, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training in the Education Cabinet.

In January 2006, 12 counties had a jobless rate at or above 10 percent compared to 10 counties that recorded double-digit rates in January 2005.

Woodford County’s 4.5 percent jobless rate was the lowest in the commonwealth. Other low rates were recorded in Fayette County, 4.9 percent; Jessamine, Madison, Oldham, Scott and Warren counties, 5.3 percent each; Anderson and Franklin counties, 5.7 percent each; and Bourbon County, 5.8 percent.

Menifee County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 13.2 percent. It was followed by Magoffin County, 12.6 percent; Wolfe County, 12.5 percent; Todd County, 12.4 percent; Morgan County, 11.9 percent; Cumberland County, 11.5 percent; Lewis County, 11.3 percent; Bath County, 11 percent; Grayson County, 10.9 percent; and Clay County, 10.4 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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