April 2025 | Released May 21, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 5, rose in 20, and remained unchanged in 26.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 40 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Mississippi. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

Kentucky Employment Snapshot

• In April, Kentucky added 400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.2 percent. In the prior month, Kentucky added 4,400 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Kentucky added 17,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 4.9 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Kentucky is tied for 27th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, Kentucky’s private sector added 300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 12,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Kentucky added 4,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Kentucky rose by 2,550, and over the past 12 months it rose by 25,533.

• Kentucky’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 58.4 percent in April and is tied for 43rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.4 percentage points.

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Kentucky Payroll Employment

• Kentucky added 400 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Kentucky added 4,400 jobs. Kentucky nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Kentucky is tied for 27th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Kentucky added 300 private sector jobs, or 0 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Kentucky added 4,300 jobs. Kentucky private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 167,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Kentucky is tied for 30th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during April were Professional and Business Services (2,500) and Education and Health Services (1,400).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,100) and Manufacturing (-2,400).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (8,500) and Construction (6,900).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Mining and Logging (-800) and Manufacturing tied with Leisure and Hospitality (-1,200).

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 April.

• 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 rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in April.