# Kentucky Reports June Employment Data; County Jobless Rates Mixed **Published:** 2026-07-16T14:00:13.000Z **Source:** [KY Education & Workforce Cabinet](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=EducationCabinet&prId=831) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/kentucky-reports-june-employment-data-county-jobless-rates-mixed FRANKFORT, Ky. — The [Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet released preliminary June labor market information](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=EducationCabinet&prId=831) on June 25, providing updated employment data through May 2026 and revised April figures. [The Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS)](https://kystats.ky.gov), an agency within the cabinet, reported that [unemployment rates rose in 95 counties between May 2025 and May 2026, fell in 17 counties and stayed the same in eight counties](https://www.lanereport.com/188244/2026/06/95-ky-counties-saw-higher-unemployment-in-past-12-months/). The data reflects a mixed employment picture across the state's regions. [Woodford County recorded the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 3.7%, according to May's data report, followed by Fayette, Scott, and Todd counties, which were all at 4% each](https://www.wkyt.com/2026/06/25/unemployment-rates-rise-several-counties-according-kentucky-education-labor-cabinet/). The Lexington area continues to show relatively strong employment compared to statewide averages. In contrast, [Martin County recorded the state's highest unemployment rate at 9.8%, followed by Wolfe County at 8.5%, Lewis County at 8.1%, Magoffin County at 7.9%, and Elliott County at 7.8%](https://www.lanereport.com/188244/2026/06/95-ky-counties-saw-higher-unemployment-in-past-12-months/). Economic disparities remain significant across Kentucky's counties. [KYSTATS publishes the most recent estimates of the state's unemployment rate, labor force, and industry employment](https://kystats.ky.gov), providing critical data for policymakers and businesses. [County unemployment rates and employment levels are not seasonally adjusted because of small sample sizes](https://www.lanereport.com/188244/2026/06/95-ky-counties-saw-higher-unemployment-in-past-12-months/), while statewide figures use seasonal adjustments to reveal underlying economic trends. ## Sources - [KY Education & Workforce Cabinet](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=EducationCabinet&prId=831) - [95 Kentucky counties saw higher unemployment in past 12 months](https://www.lanereport.com/188244/2026/06/95-ky-counties-saw-higher-unemployment-in-past-12-months/) - [Unemployment rates rise in several counties according to Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet](https://www.wkyt.com/2026/06/25/unemployment-rates-rise-several-counties-according-kentucky-education-labor-cabinet/) - [Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS)](https://kystats.ky.gov) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from KY Education & Workforce Cabinet, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=EducationCabinet&prId=831.