Kentucky

Kentucky's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remains unchanged for June; stands at 4.6% – NKyTribune

Published

2 years ago

July 19, 2024

Kentucky's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remains unchanged for June; stands at 4.6% – NKyTribune

Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted preliminary June 2024 unemployment rate was 4.6%, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS).

The preliminary June 2024 jobless rate was unchanged from May 2024 and up 0.5 percentage points from one year ago.

The U.S. seasonally adjusted jobless rate for June 2024 was 4.1%, which was up from the 4% recorded for May 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Labor force statistics, including the unemployment rate, are based upon estimates from the Current Population Survey of households. The survey is designed to measure trends in the number of people working and includes jobs in agriculture and individuals who are self-employed.

(Click for large graph)

Kentucky’s civilian labor force was 2,047,682 in June 2024, an increase of 6,945 individuals from May 2024. The number of people employed in June increased by 6,868 to 1,952,975 while the number unemployed increased by 77 to 94,707.

“Kentucky labor force continued to grow in June,” said University of Kentucky’s Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) Director Mike Clark, Ph.D. “While more people entering the labor force might be expected to push the unemployment rate up as more workers compete for jobs, the commonwealth’s unemployment rate has held steady at 4.6% for the third month. This occurred because people are finding work at roughly the same rate as they are entering the workforce.”

In a separate federal survey of business establishments that excludes jobs in agriculture and people who are self-employed, Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 2,100 jobs to 2,044,900 in June 2024 compared to May 2024. Kentucky’s nonfarm employment was up 25,700 jobs or 1.3% compared to June 2023.

“Kentucky’s employers continued adding workers to their payrolls in June,” said Clark. “While the rate of job growth did slow from recent months, month-to-month employment changes are fairly volatile. So, this does not necessarily reflect a change in the trend.”

Nonfarm data is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Employment Statistics program. According to the survey, employment increased for five of Kentucky’s major nonfarm North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) job sectors in June 2024, decreased for five, and was unchanged for one.

The educational and health services sector rose by 2,000 positions in June 2024. Employment in the health care and social assistance subsector increased by 1,600 jobs from May to June. The educational services subsector gained 400 jobs. Since last June, this sector has grown by 17,000 jobs or 5.6%.

Employment in the trade, transportation and utilities sector increased by 1,600 positions from May to June but was down 1,100 jobs or 0.3% compared to a year ago. In June, the wholesale trade subsector added 500 jobs; transportation, warehousing and utilities subsector added 600 jobs; and the retail trade subsector added 500 jobs.

The other services sector was up by 400 jobs from May to June. This sector had 1,500 more positions in June 2024 compared to June 2023. This sector includes repairs and maintenance, personal care services and religious organizations.

Kentucky’s manufacturing sector increased by 200 jobs from May 2024 to June 2024. The durable goods manufacturing subsector lost 100 positions, but these loses were more than offset by a gain of 300 jobs in the non-durable goods subsector. Kentucky’s manufacturing employment was down 1,100 positions or 0.4% compared to June 2023.

Jobs in the financial activities sector rose by 100 positions from May 2024 to June 2024 and was down 1,200 jobs from June 2023. All these gains occurred in the real estate, rental and leasing subsector. Employment in the finance and insurance subsector was unchanged.

Employment in Kentucky’s information services sector did not change from May to June. The industries in this sector include traditional publishing as well as software publishing; motion pictures and broadcasting; and telecommunications. The number of jobs in this sector was down 1,000 from one year ago.

The number of jobs in the state’s mining and logging sector was down 100 from May to June. This sector had 600 more jobs in June 2024 compared to June 2023.

Employment in Kentucky’s professional and business services sector fell by 200 jobs or 0.1% in June 2024. From May to June, employment rose by 600 jobs in the professional, scientific and technical services subsector; fell by 100 jobs in the management of companies subsector; and fell by 700 jobs in the administrative, support and waste management subsector. The sector was up 1,100 positions compared to June 2023.

Construction employment was down 300 jobs or 0.3% from May 2024 to June 2024 and up 3,700 positions or 4.1% from one year ago.

Employment in the government sector dropped by 500 jobs from May 2024 to June 2024. The number of jobs decreased by 100 in federal government; increased by 200 in state government; and decreased by 600 in local government. The total number of government jobs rose by 4,600 positions or 1.5% compared to June 2023.

The leisure and hospitality sector lost 1,100 positions in June, a decline of 0.5%. This sector reported 1,600 more jobs in June than one year ago. The accommodations and food services subsector was down by 800 positions in June. The arts, entertainment and recreation subsector decreased by 300 jobs from May to June.

Civilian labor force statistics include nonmilitary workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks.

Kentucky’s statewide unemployment rate and employment levels are seasonally adjusted. Employment statistics undergo sharp fluctuations due to seasonal events, such as weather changes, harvests, holidays, and school openings and closings. Seasonal adjustments eliminate these influences and make it easier to observe statistical trends. However, due to the small sample size, county unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

To learn more about Kentucky labor market information, visit kystats.ky.gov.

Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet

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Kentucky

Trump endorsements shape Kentucky primary races

Published

6 hours ago

May 18, 2026

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Trump endorsements shape Kentucky primary races

KENTUCKY (WKYT) – President Donald Trump’s endorsements of several Kentucky candidates have drawn attention to Tuesday’s U.S. Senate and House primary races, with political experts and party officials weighing in on the potential impact on voters.

Trump has been vocal on social media and in interviews about who should represent Kentucky in Washington.

“Something like an endorsement from President Trump or good coverage in partisan media can make the difference,” said Dr. Stephen Voss, a specialist in elections and voting behavior at the University of Kentucky.

Voss said presidential endorsements, especially from Trump, can easily sway a close election. He said the average voter is looking for a shortcut on who to push forward in the primary.

“Party identification drives how a lot of people vote, but in a party primary, that doesn’t help,” Voss said. “Voters in Kentucky that are republican are choosing republican politicians; voters need shortcuts so they can get their homework done, pick a candidate and move on. A Donald Trump endorsement for a lot of voters is the guideline they’d use to determine how to vote.”

Questions still remain surrounding Trump’s decisions to speak against certain candidates who have disagreed with him, including U.S. Representative Thomas Massie. The president endorsed Massie’s opponent, Ed Gallrein.

Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Colmon Elridge called it petty politics.

“Who we send to congress, who’s in the United States Senate — they affect people’s real lives and Donald Trump really is detached from the lives of the Emerican people and people right here in Kentucky,” Elridge said.

Adam Hope with the Republican Party of Kentucky said while the party cannot show favoritism, they support Trump’s decisions.

“Our president is definitely endorsing some candidates he feels like are gonna get the job done and advance his agenda in the best way he sees fit,” Hope said.

Hope said while these endorsements may not necessarily bring more people to the polls, they will get more people’s attention as to why primary races are important.

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Kentucky

Kentucky Wildcats News: Jamal Crawford dream lives on

Published

18 hours ago

May 18, 2026

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Kentucky Wildcats News: Jamal Crawford dream lives on

Former NBA sixth-man of the year winner Jamal Crawford has been a star for NBC and Peacock on their NBA coverage this season. After spending a season with MSG contributing to their coverage of the New York Knicks, Crawford joined one of the major networks and has shined all season long. It’s been reported that […]

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Kentucky

Ky. women work to combat period poverty, free period pantries open in Lexington and beyond

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2026

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Ky. women work to combat period poverty, free period pantries open in Lexington and beyond

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Gov. Andy Beshear signed a proclamation on May 5. It officially marks May 11-17 as Period Poverty Awareness Week in Kentucky.

According to a fact sheet from Alliance for Period Supplies, one in five women and girls in Kentucky between the ages of 12 and 44 live below the federal poverty level. Nationwide, two out of five people who get periods struggle to afford period products.

Skylar Davis founded Period Y’all in 2022. Since then, the organization has been fighting to end period poverty in the Commonwealth. Davis said the group has installed free menstrual product pantries in seven Kentucky counties.

That includes Letcher, Madison, Garrard, Jessamine, McCracken, Jefferson, and Washington County.

Davis said recent cost increases have left many with a difficult choice.

“Choosing between period products and feeding their kids,” Davis said.

Davis said many have had to skip work or school because of a lack of resources.

But through her organization’s work, she’s able to make a change.

This week alone, they were able to give out more than 19,000 free period products.

Skylar Davis, Period Y’all founder.(Period Y’all)

“Anything that we can do to raise awareness about this experience and help alleviate this is monumental,” Davis said.

Emily Yonter, creator of the more than 60,000 member Ladies of Lexington Facebook page, has noticed the problem too.

“We get tons of requests, pretty much daily, of women in the area needing period products,” Yonter said.

That’s why she and other members of the group launched “The Pink Box” last week on West Sixth Street downtown, right across from Coolavin Park.

Yonter said it’s simple to use. Anyone can open the door, take what they need and leave what they can.

“It’s time to start being more direct and be more hands on with the community,” Yonter said.

“We’re just really grateful that the community wanted to help us make it happen and that so many women in ladies of lex donated,” Yonter said.

Both groups rely on the community to keep these pantries stocked and they hope to open more pantries in Kentucky.

Ladies of Lexington is accepting monetary and supply donations. They also are now selling merchandise, and that money will go towards buying period products.

Period Y’all has an Amazon Wishlist and monetary donation link for anybody who’d like to donate.

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