Unemployment for Kentucky in May comes in at 5 percent

Kentucky’s unemployment rate in May was mostly in line with where it was the year prior.

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says the state unemployment average for May was 5 percent. That is up a tick from May 2024 when the average was reported at 4.9 percent, but it is down slightly from the April average of 5.2 percent.

Kentucky’s unemployment average also came in higher in May 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 1,275 people from April to May, bringing the civilian labor force to a little less than 2,120,000.

The Education and Labor Cabinet says the Manufacturing, Leisure and Hospitality, Financial Activities, Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, Government, and Mining and Logging sectors saw gains in the month of May. The Construction, Professional and Business Services, Information Services, Other Services, and Educational and Health Services sectors saw decreases.

Visit the Kentucky Center for Statistics website for more about unemployment figures and labor market information.