# Woodford County posts state's lowest jobless rate in April data release **Published:** 2026-05-28T14:00:12.000Z **Source:** [KY Education & Workforce Cabinet](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=EducationCabinet&prId=824) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/woodford-county-posts-state-s-lowest-jobless-rate-in-april-data-release [Kentucky's Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet released county-level unemployment data for April 2026](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=EducationCabinet&prId=824), showing significant variation across the commonwealth with [Woodford County recording the lowest jobless rate at 3.1 percent](https://kystats.ky.gov/KYLMI/Index/). [The statewide unemployment rate held at 4.3 percent in April, matching the national average](https://lexingtonky.news/2026/05/21/kentucky-jobless-rate-stays-at-4-3-in-april/). [The state's civilian labor force decreased by 6,007 individuals from March to April](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=EducationCabinet&prId=822), a trend that economists say masks underlying concerns about worker participation. Central Kentucky continues to show relative economic strength. [Fayette County, home to Lexington, posted a 2.9 percent unemployment rate, reflecting the region's economic resilience compared to Appalachian coal regions where jobless rates remain elevated](https://lexingtonky.news/2026/05/21/kentucky-jobless-rate-stays-at-4-3-in-april/). [According to University of Kentucky economists, roughly 16,000 workers exited Kentucky's labor force during the first three months of 2026](https://lexingtonky.news/2026/05/21/kentucky-jobless-rate-stays-at-4-3-in-april/), suggesting that stable unemployment figures reflect discouraged workers leaving the job market rather than employment gains. [Employment in professional and business services fell by 1,400 jobs in April](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=EducationCabinet&prId=822), though [the trade, transportation and utilities sector increased by 1,100 positions](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=EducationCabinet&prId=822). [Kentucky reached a significant milestone in 2025 with no county recording an unemployment rate at or above 10 percent](https://lexingtonky.news/2026/05/21/kentucky-jobless-rate-stays-at-4-3-in-april/). [Manufacturing employment declined by 1,100 jobs from March to April and was down 5,300 positions compared to April 2025](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=EducationCabinet&prId=822), continuing a downturn among durable goods manufacturers that has persisted since early 2024. ## Sources - [KY Education & Workforce Cabinet](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=EducationCabinet&prId=824) - [Kentucky Center for Statistics April 2026 unemployment report](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=EducationCabinet&prId=822) - [Lexington Times Kentucky jobless rate April 2026 coverage](https://lexingtonky.news/2026/05/21/kentucky-jobless-rate-stays-at-4-3-in-april/) --- 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=824.