July 2026 | Released August 21, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In July, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 29, rose in 4, and remained unchanged in 18.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In July, payroll jobs rose in 27 states and fell in 24. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Maryland. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in New Jersey.

Kentucky

Employment snapshot

• In July, Kentucky added 2,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.7 percent. In the prior month, Kentucky added 700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Kentucky lost 2,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 4.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls fell by 23,000 in July, or 0 percent. Kentucky is tied for 39th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In July, Kentucky’s private sector added 2,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Kentucky added 1,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In July, employment in Kentucky rose by 4,760, and over the past 12 months it fell by 13,667.

• Kentucky’s labor force participation rate rose to 57.7 percent in July from 57.5 percent and ranks 46th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.6 percentage points.

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Kentucky

Payroll employment

• Kentucky added 2,300 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Kentucky added 700 jobs. Kentucky nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls fell by 23,000 in July, or 0 percent. Kentucky is tied for 39th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Kentucky added 2,800 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Kentucky added 1,200 jobs. Kentucky private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 30,000 jobs in July, or 0 percent. Kentucky is tied for 36th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From June 2026 to July 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Manufacturing (+1,700) and Private Education and Health Services (+1,300).
• The worst performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (-900) and Construction (-500).

From July 2025 to July 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+4,100) and Leisure and Hospitality (+2,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-3,000) and Federal Government (-2,800).

Kentucky

Labor force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in Kentucky rose to 57.7 percent in July from 57.5 percent in the prior month.

• Kentucky ranks 46th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Kentucky was 59.1 percent occurring in September 2019, and the 10-year low was 54.7 percent in June 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.4 percent in July.