June 2025 | Released July 18, 2025

Download the full PDF for Kentucky

Download the summary PDF for Kentucky

United States

Employment snapshot

• In June, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 11, rose in 7, and remained unchanged in 33.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In June, payroll jobs rose in 27 states and fell in 24. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Alaska. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Rhode Island.

Kentucky

Employment snapshot

• In June, Kentucky added 1,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.9 percent. In the prior month, Kentucky added 6,400 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Kentucky added 22,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from 5 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 147,000 in June, or 0.1 percent. Kentucky is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In June, Kentucky’s private sector added 1,700 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 17,100 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Kentucky added 5,900 net private payroll jobs.

• In June, employment in Kentucky rose by 2,567, and over the past 12 months it rose by 26,075.

• Kentucky’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 58.4 percent in June and is tied for 43rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.2 percentage points.

---

Kentucky

Payroll employment

• Kentucky added 1,500 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, Kentucky added 6,400 jobs. Kentucky nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 147,000 in June, or 0.1 percent. Kentucky is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Kentucky added 1,700 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, Kentucky added 5,900 jobs. Kentucky private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 74,000 jobs in June, or 0.1 percent. Kentucky is tied for 19th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From May 2025 to June 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,500) and Private Education and Health Services (+1,500).
• The worst performing sectors were Construction (-900) and Manufacturing (-800).

From June 2024 to June 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+7,700) and Construction (+5,500).
• The worst performing sectors were Mining and Logging (-700) and Professional and Business Services (-500).

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 remained unchanged at 58.4 percent in June.

• Kentucky is tied for 43rd in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Kentucky was 59.1 percent occurring in November 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 62.3 percent in June.