Education Cabinet
Jobless rates drop in 77 counties from July 2006 to July 2007

EDITOR'S NOTE: July county unemployment rate charts are posted at http://workforce.ky.gov/July07charts.pdf. Acrobat Reader is required to view charts. To download Acrobat Reader, please see the end of this news release.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Unemployment rates dropped in 77 Kentucky counties between July 2006 and July 2007, rose in 32 counties and remained the same in 11 counties, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Education Cabinet.

Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the commonwealth at 4.1 percent. Other counties with low unemployment rates were Fayette County, 4.3 percent; Boone County, 4.5 percent; Franklin County, 4.6 percent; Jessamine, Scott and Warren counties, 4.7 percent each; Clark County, 4.8 percent; and Henderson, Mason and Oldham counties, 4.9 percent each.

Jackson County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 12.9 percent. It was followed by Clay County, 10.9 percent; Magoffin and Wolfe counties, 10.3 percent each; Harlan County, 9.7 percent; Owsley County, 9.6 percent; McCreary and Muhlenberg counties, 9.3 percent each; Leslie County, 8.9 percent; and Morgan County, 8.7 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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