Kentucky's Education and Workforce Cabinet released county unemployment data for February 2026, showing variation across the commonwealth as the state's seasonally adjusted jobless rate stood at 4.2 percent, down 0.1 percentage points from January.

Woodford County recorded the lowest unemployment rate among Kentucky's 120 counties at 3.3 percent, reflecting strong regional economic conditions. In contrast, Wolfe County recorded the state's highest rate at 11.1 percent, illustrating significant disparities across Kentucky's labor markets.

The county-level data provides insight into regional employment conditions, though the figures differ from Kentucky's statewide rate. County unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted due to small sample sizes, meaning they reflect actual conditions without adjustments for seasonal economic fluctuations.

At the state level, Kentucky's labor market showed mixed signals. The state's civilian labor force decreased by 5,874 individuals from January, while 4,459 fewer people were employed. According to the University of Kentucky's Center for Business and Economic Research, this suggests recent unemployment improvements may reflect workers leaving the labor force rather than finding new jobs.

Kentucky's seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment decreased by 1,000 jobs to 2,032,000 in February compared to January, marking a slight decline after two months of growth. The U.S. jobless rate for February was 4.4 percent, slightly higher than Kentucky's adjusted rate.