Unemployment rates decreased in Whitley, Laurel, Knox, Bell, and McCreary counties between November of 2025 and November of 2024, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS), an agency within the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet.
Whitley County’s November 2025 unemployment rate was 0.4 percent lower than the November 2024 unemployment rate.
Laurel County’s November 2025 unemployment rate was 0.8 percent lower than the November 2024 unemployment rate.
Knox County’s November 2025 unemployment rate was 1.0 percent lower than the November 2024 unemployment rate.
Bell County’s November 2025 unemployment rate was 0.8 percent lower than the November 2024 unemployment rate.
McCreary County’s November 2025 unemployment rate was 0.6 percent lower than the November 2024 unemployment rate.
Statewide unemployment
Kentucky’s November 2025 unemployment rate was 0.5 percent lower than the November 2024 unemployment rate.
Unemployment rates fell in 119 counties and rose in Pike County between November 2024 and November 2025, according to KYSTATS, an agency within the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet.
Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the commonwealth at 3.5 percent. It was followed by Fayette, Oldham and Shelby counties, 3.7 percent each; Bourbon, Caldwell, Scott, Todd and Washington counties, 3.8 percent each; and Campbell, Franklin, Graves, Harrison, Jessamine, Nicholas and Spencer counties, 3.9 percent each.
Martin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate at 8.4 percent. It was followed by Lewis County, 7.8 percent; Magoffin County, 7.6 percent; Pike and Wolfe counties, 7.2 percent each; Elliott and Jackson counties, 7.1 percent each; Carter and Lawrence counties, 6.6 percent each; and Knott County, 6.4 percent.
Kentucky’s county unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted because of small sample sizes.
The comparable, unadjusted unemployment rate for the state was 4.5 percent for November 2025, and 4.3 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.
Whitley County has a civilian labor force of 16,197 people with 15,439 employed and 758 unemployed. Statewide, Kentucky has a civilian labor force of 2,108,736 people with 2,014,563 employed and 94,173 unemployed.
Learn more about Kentucky labor market information at kystats.ky.gov.
Household survey data were not collected for October 2025 due to the lapse in federal appropriations and were not collected retroactively.
Publication of November 2025 data was delayed by more than a week because of a lapse in federal appropriations (from October 1 through November 12). Both the household and establishment surveys required additional data collection and processing time in November.
Additional information about the impact of the shutdown on the household survey is available online at www.bls.gov/cps/methods/2025-federal-government-shutdown-impact-cps.htm.
