Kentucky’s unemployment rate has experienced a bit of a jump—it’s now at 5.1 percent, which puts Kentucky at the head of the pack for unemployment rate in the U.S.
According to a news release from the Kentucky Center for Statistics, that 5.1 percent in 2024 was up compared to the 4.3 percent the unemployment rate was in 2023. The United States annual unemployment rate was four percent in 2024, up from 3.6 percent in 2023.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ estimate of the number of employed Kentuckians for 2024 was 1,987,643, which is an increase of 19,398 from the prior year.
Twenty-one states, including Kentucky, experienced a statistically significant increase in their annual unemployment rates from 2023 to 2024. Kentucky’s unemployment rate for 2024 was higher than 47 states and lower than two states.
Nevada has the highest rate at 5.6 percent, while South Dakota boasts of the lowest rate at 1.8 percent.