Education Cabinet
Jobless rates down in 88 counties from January 2007 to January 2008

EDITORS NOTE: January county unemployment rate charts are posted at http://workforce.ky.gov/Jan08charts.pdf. Acrobat Reader is required to view charts. To download Acrobat Reader, please see the end of this news release.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Unemployment rates fell in 88 Kentucky counties between January 2007 and January 2008, rose in 24 counties and remained the same in eight counties, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Education Cabinet.

Fayette and Woodford counties recorded the lowest jobless rates in the commonwealth at 4.2 percent each. Other counties with low unemployment rates were Warren County, 4.6 percent; Boone and Jessamine counties, 4.8 percent each; Madison and Scott counties, 4.9 percent each; Bourbon and Boyd counties, 5.1 percent each; and Henderson and Union counties, 5.2 percent each.

Jackson County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 12.1 percent. It was followed by Magoffin County, 11.2 percent; Menifee County, 10.9 percent; Clay County, 10.4 percent; Morgan County, 10.1 percent; Wolfe County, 10 percent; Bath County, 9.7 percent; Lewis County, 9.6 percent; and Harlan and Lawrence counties, 9.4 percent each.

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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