Unemployment rates fell in 117 of Kentucky’s 120 counties between June 2013 and June 2014, while three county rates went up, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.

Boone County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the Commonwealth at 5.5 percent. It was followed by Kenton County, 5.8 percent; Campbell, Larue and Woodford counties, 6 percent each; Caldwell and Shelby counties, 6.1 percent each; Simpson County, 6.2 percent; and Daviess, Fayette, Oldham and Owen counties, 6.3 percent each.

Jackson County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 16.5 percent. It was followed by Magoffin County, 15 percent; Harlan County, 14.5 percent; Leslie County, 13.6 percent; Letcher County, 13.1 percent; Knott County, 12.4 percent; Bell County, 12.3 percent; Clay County, 12 percent; McCreary County, 11.9 percent; and Fulton County, 11.5 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 because of the small sample size for each county. The data should only be compared to the same month in previous years.

From Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet