Kentucky labor market sees slight increase despite slight unemployment increase

Unemployment in Kentucky saw a slight increase in August. 

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says the state unemployment average for August was 4.8 percent. That is an increase from the 4.7 percent rate reported in July as well as from August 2023 when the rate was reported at 4.2 percent.

Kentucky’s unemployment average also came in higher in July than the national unemployment rate, which the U.S. Department of Labor reported at 4.2 percent.

The Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet says the state’s civilian labor force, which includes people currently employed and people actively searching for work, saw an increase of just over 7,300 people from July into August, bringing the civilian labor force to about 2,061,000.

The Education and Labor Cabinet says while manufacturing jobs saw an increase in August, companies have been reporting fewer jobs over the last few months. Employment in the trade, transportation, and utilities sector and the leisure and hospitality sector saw slight drops. The mining and logging sectors were mostly unchanged.

Visit the Kentucky Center for Statistics to learn more about labor market information.