Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Wolfe County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 120 counties in 2021, at 27%. Woodford County had the lowest, at 2.6%. The median was 5.4% and the figure for Kentucky was 5.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest27Wolfe County
Lowest2.6Woodford County
Median5.4120 counties
Kentucky5.3History

Map of counties, 2021

Adair County: 6.7 %Allen County: 7.6 %Anderson County: 5.1 %Ballard County: 5.5 %Barren County: 6.4 %Bath County: 2.9 %Bell County: 9.2 %Boone County: 3.4 %Bourbon County: 5.1 %Boyd County: 8.5 %Boyle County: 6.2 %Bracken County: 4.6 %Breathitt County: 9.4 %Breckinridge County: 7.7 %Bullitt County: 4.7 %Butler County: 5.5 %Caldwell County: 5.1 %Calloway County: 4.6 %Campbell County: 4.1 %Carlisle County: 3.1 %Carroll County: 7.8 %Carter County: 5.2 %Casey County: 9.7 %Christian County: 7.9 %Clark County: 4.6 %Clay County: 10.2 %Clinton County: 4.6 %Crittenden County: 3.1 %Cumberland County: 3.8 %Daviess County: 4.2 %Edmonson County: 7.5 %Elliott County: 5.2 %Estill County: 7.1 %Fayette County: 4.9 %Fleming County: 8.2 %Floyd County: 9.1 %Franklin County: 4.8 %Fulton County: 6.7 %Gallatin County: 4.3 %Garrard County: 4.1 %Grant County: 4.2 %Graves County: 4.8 %Grayson County: 4.4 %Green County: 8.6 %Greenup County: 5.6 %Hancock County: 5 %Hardin County: 6.6 %Harlan County: 12.6 %Harrison County: 3.3 %Hart County: 5 %Henderson County: 3.2 %Henry County: 5.4 %Hickman County: 6 %Hopkins County: 7.2 %Jackson County: 7.2 %Jefferson County: 5.3 %Jessamine County: 4.6 %Johnson County: 6.6 %Kenton County: 4.2 %Knott County: 11.4 %Knox County: 9 %Larue County: 3 %Laurel County: 5.2 %Lawrence County: 5.3 %Lee County: 7.5 %Leslie County: 7.4 %Letcher County: 10 %Lewis County: 8 %Lincoln County: 5.9 %Livingston County: 6.8 %Logan County: 5.4 %Lyon County: 3.2 %McCracken County: 3.9 %McCreary County: 6.9 %McLean County: 6.1 %Madison County: 6.1 %Magoffin County: 11.2 %Marion County: 5.6 %Marshall County: 3.5 %Martin County: 7.5 %Mason County: 3.7 %Meade County: 5.1 %Menifee County: 5.4 %Mercer County: 5.3 %Metcalfe County: 3.3 %Monroe County: 4.4 %Montgomery County: 6.8 %Morgan County: 4.3 %Muhlenberg County: 5.9 %Nelson County: 3.8 %Nicholas County: 4.1 %Ohio County: 4.5 %Oldham County: 3.8 %Owen County: 4 %Owsley County: 15.7 %Pendleton County: 5 %Perry County: 10.6 %Pike County: 8.5 %Powell County: 7.5 %Pulaski County: 5.6 %Robertson County: 8.6 %Rockcastle County: 7.2 %Rowan County: 4 %Russell County: 6.8 %Scott County: 3.3 %Shelby County: 3.7 %Simpson County: 4.1 %Spencer County: 5.7 %Taylor County: 6.3 %Todd County: 3.4 %Trigg County: 4.9 %Trimble County: 9.4 %Union County: 3.9 %Warren County: 4.7 %Washington County: 4.6 %Wayne County: 6.1 %Webster County: 5.3 %Whitley County: 6.6 %Wolfe County: 27 %Woodford County: 2.6 %
  • Under 4
  • 4 to 4.7
  • 4.7 to 5.4
  • 5.4 to 6.6
  • 6.6 to 7.9
  • 7.9 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Wolfe County: 27 %Wolfe County27Owsley County: 15.7 %Owsley County15.7Harlan County: 12.6 %Harlan County12.6Knott County: 11.4 %Knott County11.4Magoffin County: 11.2 %Magoffin County11.2Perry County: 10.6 %Perry County10.6Clay County: 10.2 %Clay County10.2Letcher County: 10 %Letcher County10Casey County: 9.7 %Casey County9.7Breathitt County: 9.4 %Breathitt County9.4Trimble County: 9.4 %Trimble County9.4Bell County: 9.2 %Bell County9.2Floyd County: 9.1 %Floyd County9.1Knox County: 9 %Knox County9Green County: 8.6 %Green County8.6Robertson County: 8.6 %Robertson County8.6Boyd County: 8.5 %Boyd County8.5Pike County: 8.5 %Pike County8.5Fleming County: 8.2 %Fleming County8.2Lewis County: 8 %Lewis County8Christian County: 7.9 %Christian County7.9Carroll County: 7.8 %Carroll County7.8Breckinridge County: 7.7 %Breckinridge County7.7Allen County: 7.6 %Allen County7.6Powell County: 7.5 %Powell County7.5Martin County: 7.5 %Martin County7.5Lee County: 7.5 %Lee County7.5Edmonson County: 7.5 %Edmonson County7.5Leslie County: 7.4 %Leslie County7.4Rockcastle County: 7.2 %Rockcastle County7.2Hopkins County: 7.2 %Hopkins County7.2Jackson County: 7.2 %Jackson County7.2Estill County: 7.1 %Estill County7.1McCreary County: 6.9 %McCreary County6.9Livingston County: 6.8 %Livingston County6.8Montgomery County: 6.8 %Montgomery County6.8Russell County: 6.8 %Russell County6.8Adair County: 6.7 %Adair County6.7Fulton County: 6.7 %Fulton County6.7Hardin County: 6.6 %Hardin County6.6Wolfe County: 27 %Wolfe County27Owsley County: 15.7 %Owsley County15.7Harlan County: 12.6 %Harlan County12.6Knott County: 11.4 %Knott County11.4Magoffin County: 11.2 %Magoffin County11.2Perry County: 10.6 %Perry County10.6Clay County: 10.2 %Clay County10.2Letcher County: 10 %Letcher County10Casey County: 9.7 %Casey County9.7Breathitt County: 9.4 %Breathitt County9.4Trimble County: 9.4 %Trimble County9.4Bell County: 9.2 %Bell County9.2Floyd County: 9.1 %Floyd County9.1Knox County: 9 %Knox County9Green County: 8.6 %Green County8.6Robertson County: 8.6 %Robertson County8.6Boyd County: 8.5 %Boyd County8.5Pike County: 8.5 %Pike County8.5Fleming County: 8.2 %Fleming County8.2Lewis County: 8 %Lewis County8Christian County: 7.9 %Christian County7.9Carroll County: 7.8 %Carroll County7.8Breckinridge County: 7.7 %Breckinridge County7.7Allen County: 7.6 %Allen County7.6Powell County: 7.5 %Powell County7.5Martin County: 7.5 %Martin County7.5Lee County: 7.5 %Lee County7.5Edmonson County: 7.5 %Edmonson County7.5Leslie County: 7.4 %Leslie County7.4Rockcastle County: 7.2 %Rockcastle County7.2Hopkins County: 7.2 %Hopkins County7.2Jackson County: 7.2 %Jackson County7.2Estill County: 7.1 %Estill County7.1McCreary County: 6.9 %McCreary County6.9Livingston County: 6.8 %Livingston County6.8Montgomery County: 6.8 %Montgomery County6.8Russell County: 6.8 %Russell County6.8Adair County: 6.7 %Adair County6.7Fulton County: 6.7 %Fulton County6.7Hardin County: 6.6 %Hardin County6.6
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Wolfe County27
2Owsley County15.7
3Harlan County12.6
4Knott County11.4
5Magoffin County11.2
6Perry County10.6
7Clay County10.2
8Letcher County10
9Casey County9.7
10Breathitt County9.4
11Trimble County9.4
12Bell County9.2
13Floyd County9.1
14Knox County9
15Green County8.6
15Robertson County8.6
17Boyd County8.5
18Pike County8.5
19Fleming County8.2
20Lewis County8
21Christian County7.9
22Carroll County7.8
23Breckinridge County7.7
24Allen County7.6
25Powell County7.5
26Martin County7.5
27Lee County7.5
28Edmonson County7.5
29Leslie County7.4
30Rockcastle County7.2
31Hopkins County7.2
32Jackson County7.2
33Estill County7.1
34McCreary County6.9
35Livingston County6.8
36Montgomery County6.8
36Russell County6.8
38Adair County6.7
39Fulton County6.7
40Hardin County6.6
41Johnson County6.6
42Whitley County6.6
43Barren County6.4
44Taylor County6.3
45Boyle County6.2
46McLean County6.1
47Madison County6.1
47Wayne County6.1
49Hickman County6
50Lincoln County5.9
51Muhlenberg County5.9
52Spencer County5.7
53Marion County5.6
53Pulaski County5.6
55Greenup County5.6
56Butler County5.5
57Ballard County5.5
58Henry County5.4
59Menifee County5.4
60Logan County5.4
61Webster County5.3
62Mercer County5.3
63Lawrence County5.3
64Jefferson County5.3
65Carter County5.2
66Elliott County5.2
67Laurel County5.2
68Meade County5.1
69Bourbon County5.1
69Caldwell County5.1
71Anderson County5.1
72Hart County5
73Hancock County5
73Pendleton County5
75Trigg County4.9
76Fayette County4.9
77Graves County4.8
78Franklin County4.8
79Bullitt County4.7
80Warren County4.7
81Bracken County4.6
82Jessamine County4.6
83Clinton County4.6
84Clark County4.6
85Calloway County4.6
85Washington County4.6
87Ohio County4.5
88Grayson County4.4
89Monroe County4.4
90Gallatin County4.3
91Morgan County4.3
92Grant County4.2
93Daviess County4.2
94Kenton County4.2
95Nicholas County4.1
96Simpson County4.1
97Garrard County4.1
98Campbell County4.1
99Rowan County4
100Owen County4
101McCracken County3.9
102Union County3.9
103Cumberland County3.8
104Nelson County3.8
104Oldham County3.8
106Mason County3.7
107Shelby County3.7
108Marshall County3.5
109Boone County3.4
110Todd County3.4
111Harrison County3.3
112Metcalfe County3.3
113Scott County3.3
114Lyon County3.2
115Henderson County3.2
116Crittenden County3.1
117Carlisle County3.1
118Larue County3
119Bath County2.9
120Woodford County2.6

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Kentucky by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Kentucky by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/kentucky-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Kentucky by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/kentucky-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Kentucky by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/kentucky-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_kentucky_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Kentucky by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/kentucky-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Kentucky by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/kentucky-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/kentucky-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Wolfe County, with 27% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Woodford County, with 2.6% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings