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Unemployment rates fell in 82 Kentucky counties between June 2019 and June 2020, rose in 33, including Clark County, and stayed the same in five counties, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.

In Clark County, the rate in June 2020 was 4.8 percent, up slightly from the June 2019 rate of 4.4 percent.

However, the rate was nearly half of the rate in the previous month. The May 2019 rates was 9.5 percent.

Carlisle County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the commonwealth at 3 percent. It was followed by Cumberland County, 3.1 percent; Monroe, Pendleton and Todd counties, 3.3 percent each; Lyon County, 3.4 percent; Woodford County, 3.5 percent; and Clinton, Crittenden, Hickman, Oldham and Washington counties, 3.6 percent each.

Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate at 11.7 percent. It was followed by Harlan County, 9 percent; Martin County, 8.2 percent; Leslie County, 7.7 percent; Breathitt and Letcher counties, 7.5 percent each; Elliott County, 7 percent;and Carter, Floyd and Perry counties, 6.9 percent each.

Kentucky’s county unemployment rates and employment levels are not seasonally adjusted because of small sample sizes. Employment statistics undergo sharp fluctuations due to seasonal events such as weather changes, harvests, holidays and school openings and closings. Seasonal adjustments eliminate these influences and make it easier to observe statistical trends. The comparable, unadjusted unemployment rate for the state was 4.8 percent for June 2020, and 11.2 percent for the nation.

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 data should only be compared to the same month in previous years.

Learn more about Kentucky labor market information at https://kystats.ky.gov/KYLMI.