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 2023, at 15.8%. Larue County had the lowest, at 1.8%. The median was 5% and the figure for Kentucky was 4.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest15.8Wolfe County
Lowest1.8Larue County
Median5120 counties
Kentucky4.8History

Map of counties, 2023

Adair County: 7.7 %Allen County: 7.5 %Anderson County: 2.6 %Ballard County: 4.1 %Barren County: 4.8 %Bath County: 4 %Bell County: 10.5 %Boone County: 2.9 %Bourbon County: 4.4 %Boyd County: 6.6 %Boyle County: 5.9 %Bracken County: 5.5 %Breathitt County: 9.3 %Breckinridge County: 5.2 %Bullitt County: 4.1 %Butler County: 4.2 %Caldwell County: 2.8 %Calloway County: 4.4 %Campbell County: 3.7 %Carlisle County: 4.2 %Carroll County: 6.9 %Carter County: 4.1 %Casey County: 8.9 %Christian County: 7.8 %Clark County: 4.8 %Clay County: 10.2 %Clinton County: 5.6 %Crittenden County: 3.4 %Cumberland County: 3 %Daviess County: 4.5 %Edmonson County: 6.8 %Elliott County: 6.7 %Estill County: 7.2 %Fayette County: 5 %Fleming County: 6.9 %Floyd County: 7.1 %Franklin County: 5.6 %Fulton County: 7.3 %Gallatin County: 3.5 %Garrard County: 6.1 %Grant County: 4.7 %Graves County: 4 %Grayson County: 5.1 %Green County: 8.5 %Greenup County: 5.8 %Hancock County: 3.9 %Hardin County: 6.7 %Harlan County: 11 %Harrison County: 2.9 %Hart County: 4.5 %Henderson County: 3 %Henry County: 3.9 %Hickman County: 4 %Hopkins County: 6.4 %Jackson County: 5.8 %Jefferson County: 4.8 %Jessamine County: 3.2 %Johnson County: 4.7 %Kenton County: 3.8 %Knott County: 11.6 %Knox County: 7.9 %Larue County: 1.8 %Laurel County: 3.6 %Lawrence County: 6 %Lee County: 7.1 %Leslie County: 7.4 %Letcher County: 5.8 %Lewis County: 7.6 %Lincoln County: 7.6 %Livingston County: 4.7 %Logan County: 4.9 %Lyon County: 3.5 %McCracken County: 3.1 %McCreary County: 2.3 %McLean County: 6.6 %Madison County: 5.3 %Magoffin County: 12.4 %Marion County: 5.5 %Marshall County: 3.7 %Martin County: 5.9 %Mason County: 4.8 %Meade County: 3.8 %Menifee County: 4.9 %Mercer County: 2.9 %Metcalfe County: 5.4 %Monroe County: 4.2 %Montgomery County: 4.1 %Morgan County: 3.9 %Muhlenberg County: 4.1 %Nelson County: 3.1 %Nicholas County: 7.2 %Ohio County: 5.2 %Oldham County: 3.4 %Owen County: 5.2 %Owsley County: 11.3 %Pendleton County: 4.9 %Perry County: 5.9 %Pike County: 6.2 %Powell County: 7.1 %Pulaski County: 5.2 %Robertson County: 8.6 %Rockcastle County: 6.1 %Rowan County: 4.3 %Russell County: 6 %Scott County: 4 %Shelby County: 2.9 %Simpson County: 4 %Spencer County: 5.9 %Taylor County: 5 %Todd County: 3.4 %Trigg County: 4.1 %Trimble County: 7.8 %Union County: 3.1 %Warren County: 4.5 %Washington County: 4.2 %Wayne County: 4.9 %Webster County: 5.4 %Whitley County: 5.2 %Wolfe County: 15.8 %Woodford County: 3.5 %
  • Under 3.6
  • 3.6 to 4.2
  • 4.2 to 5
  • 5 to 5.9
  • 5.9 to 7.2
  • 7.2 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Wolfe County: 15.8 %Wolfe County15.8Magoffin County: 12.4 %Magoffin County12.4Knott County: 11.6 %Knott County11.6Owsley County: 11.3 %Owsley County11.3Harlan County: 11 %Harlan County11Bell County: 10.5 %Bell County10.5Clay County: 10.2 %Clay County10.2Breathitt County: 9.3 %Breathitt County9.3Casey County: 8.9 %Casey County8.9Robertson County: 8.6 %Robertson County8.6Green County: 8.5 %Green County8.5Knox County: 7.9 %Knox County7.9Trimble County: 7.8 %Trimble County7.8Christian County: 7.8 %Christian County7.8Adair County: 7.7 %Adair County7.7Lewis County: 7.6 %Lewis County7.6Lincoln County: 7.6 %Lincoln County7.6Allen County: 7.5 %Allen County7.5Leslie County: 7.4 %Leslie County7.4Fulton County: 7.3 %Fulton County7.3Estill County: 7.2 %Estill County7.2Nicholas County: 7.2 %Nicholas County7.2Floyd County: 7.1 %Floyd County7.1Powell County: 7.1 %Powell County7.1Lee County: 7.1 %Lee County7.1Carroll County: 6.9 %Carroll County6.9Fleming County: 6.9 %Fleming County6.9Edmonson County: 6.8 %Edmonson County6.8Elliott County: 6.7 %Elliott County6.7Hardin County: 6.7 %Hardin County6.7McLean County: 6.6 %McLean County6.6Boyd County: 6.6 %Boyd County6.6Hopkins County: 6.4 %Hopkins County6.4Pike County: 6.2 %Pike County6.2Garrard County: 6.1 %Garrard County6.1Rockcastle County: 6.1 %Rockcastle County6.1Russell County: 6 %Russell County6Lawrence County: 6 %Lawrence County6Martin County: 5.9 %Martin County5.9Boyle County: 5.9 %Boyle County5.9Wolfe County: 15.8 %Wolfe County15.8Magoffin County: 12.4 %Magoffin County12.4Knott County: 11.6 %Knott County11.6Owsley County: 11.3 %Owsley County11.3Harlan County: 11 %Harlan County11Bell County: 10.5 %Bell County10.5Clay County: 10.2 %Clay County10.2Breathitt County: 9.3 %Breathitt County9.3Casey County: 8.9 %Casey County8.9Robertson County: 8.6 %Robertson County8.6Green County: 8.5 %Green County8.5Knox County: 7.9 %Knox County7.9Trimble County: 7.8 %Trimble County7.8Christian County: 7.8 %Christian County7.8Adair County: 7.7 %Adair County7.7Lewis County: 7.6 %Lewis County7.6Lincoln County: 7.6 %Lincoln County7.6Allen County: 7.5 %Allen County7.5Leslie County: 7.4 %Leslie County7.4Fulton County: 7.3 %Fulton County7.3Estill County: 7.2 %Estill County7.2Nicholas County: 7.2 %Nicholas County7.2Floyd County: 7.1 %Floyd County7.1Powell County: 7.1 %Powell County7.1Lee County: 7.1 %Lee County7.1Carroll County: 6.9 %Carroll County6.9Fleming County: 6.9 %Fleming County6.9Edmonson County: 6.8 %Edmonson County6.8Elliott County: 6.7 %Elliott County6.7Hardin County: 6.7 %Hardin County6.7McLean County: 6.6 %McLean County6.6Boyd County: 6.6 %Boyd County6.6Hopkins County: 6.4 %Hopkins County6.4Pike County: 6.2 %Pike County6.2Garrard County: 6.1 %Garrard County6.1Rockcastle County: 6.1 %Rockcastle County6.1Russell County: 6 %Russell County6Lawrence County: 6 %Lawrence County6Martin County: 5.9 %Martin County5.9Boyle County: 5.9 %Boyle County5.9
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Wolfe County15.8-4.5 pts
2Magoffin County12.4-0.5 pts
3Knott County11.6+1 pts
4Owsley County11.3-2.8 pts
5Harlan County11+0.2 pts
6Bell County10.5+0.6 pts
7Clay County10.2+0.2 pts
8Breathitt County9.3+0.4 pts
9Casey County8.9-1.4 pts
10Robertson County8.6+1.5 pts
11Green County8.5-1 pts
12Knox County7.9-1 pts
13Trimble County7.8-0.5 pts
14Christian County7.8+0.2 pts
15Adair County7.7+1.1 pts
16Lewis County7.6+0.3 pts
17Lincoln County7.6+1 pts
18Allen County7.5+0.2 pts
19Leslie County7.4-2.6 pts
20Fulton County7.3+1.7 pts
21Estill County7.2-1.5 pts
22Nicholas County7.2+1.5 pts
23Floyd County7.1+0.4 pts
24Powell County7.10 pts
25Lee County7.1-1 pts
26Carroll County6.9+0.3 pts
27Fleming County6.9-1.5 pts
28Edmonson County6.8-0 pts
29Elliott County6.7+0.7 pts
30Hardin County6.7-0.1 pts
31McLean County6.6-0.1 pts
32Boyd County6.6-0.3 pts
33Hopkins County6.4-1.3 pts
34Pike County6.2-1.1 pts
35Garrard County6.1+0.8 pts
36Rockcastle County6.1-0.5 pts
37Russell County6-0 pts
38Lawrence County6+0.8 pts
39Martin County5.9-0.4 pts
40Boyle County5.9-0.3 pts
41Spencer County5.9-0.4 pts
42Perry County5.9-1.7 pts
43Jackson County5.8-0.2 pts
43Letcher County5.8-1.9 pts
45Greenup County5.8-0.4 pts
46Clinton County5.60 pts
47Franklin County5.6+0.9 pts
48Bracken County5.5-0.6 pts
49Marion County5.5-0.5 pts
50Webster County5.4-0.5 pts
51Metcalfe County5.4+0.6 pts
52Madison County5.3-0.2 pts
53Pulaski County5.2+0.4 pts
54Owen County5.2+0.6 pts
55Breckinridge County5.2-2.5 pts
56Ohio County5.2+0.7 pts
57Whitley County5.2-1.2 pts
58Grayson County5.1+0.2 pts
59Taylor County5+0.1 pts
60Fayette County50 pts
61Wayne County4.9-0.2 pts
62Menifee County4.9+0.2 pts
63Pendleton County4.9-0.1 pts
64Logan County4.9-0.7 pts
65Clark County4.8-0.4 pts
65Mason County4.8+0.1 pts
67Barren County4.8-0.1 pts
68Jefferson County4.8-0.3 pts
69Grant County4.7+0.3 pts
70Johnson County4.7-0.6 pts
71Livingston County4.7-1.5 pts
72Warren County4.5-0.2 pts
73Hart County4.5+0.9 pts
74Daviess County4.5+0.4 pts
75Bourbon County4.4-1.1 pts
76Calloway County4.4-0.4 pts
77Rowan County4.3-0.3 pts
78Butler County4.2-1.2 pts
79Carlisle County4.2-0 pts
80Monroe County4.2-1.2 pts
80Washington County4.2+1.9 pts
82Carter County4.1-1.8 pts
82Trigg County4.1+0.1 pts
84Ballard County4.1-1.1 pts
84Bullitt County4.1-0.5 pts
86Montgomery County4.1-1.9 pts
87Muhlenberg County4.1-0.8 pts
88Hickman County4-0.1 pts
89Graves County4+0.3 pts
90Bath County4+1.1 pts
91Scott County4+0.2 pts
91Simpson County4+0.4 pts
93Morgan County3.9+0.8 pts
94Henry County3.9-0.1 pts
95Hancock County3.9-0.6 pts
96Kenton County3.8-0.6 pts
97Meade County3.8-0.4 pts
98Marshall County3.7+0.7 pts
99Campbell County3.7-0.1 pts
100Laurel County3.6-0 pts
101Lyon County3.5-0 pts
102Woodford County3.5+1.1 pts
103Gallatin County3.5-0.2 pts
104Todd County3.4-0.9 pts
105Crittenden County3.4-0.1 pts
106Oldham County3.4-0.5 pts
107Jessamine County3.2-1.3 pts
108Union County3.1-0.6 pts
109McCracken County3.1-0.5 pts
109Nelson County3.1+0.1 pts
111Cumberland County3-0.8 pts
111Henderson County3-0.8 pts
113Harrison County2.9+0.1 pts
114Mercer County2.9-1.6 pts
115Boone County2.9+0.1 pts
115Shelby County2.9-0.4 pts
117Caldwell County2.8-1.9 pts
118Anderson County2.6-2.8 pts
119McCreary County2.3-3.3 pts
120Larue County1.8-1 pts

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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/kentucky-counties?period=2023. 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), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/kentucky-counties?period=2023.

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), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/kentucky-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_kentucky_by_2023,
  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), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/kentucky-counties?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/kentucky-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/kentucky-counties?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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 15.8% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Larue County, with 1.8% in 2023.

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