Kentucky's jobless rate in May 2025 has dipped slightly, as per KYSTATS, dropping to 5% compared to April.
In May 2025, Kentucky's seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 5,100 jobs to 2,057,400, according to the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet. The state's unemployment rate decreased slightly to 4.2%, down by 0.2 percentage points from April 2025 and up by 0.1 percentage points from one year ago.
The leisure and hospitality sector added 1,200 jobs in May, while employment in the government sector increased by 400 jobs from April to May. Notably, employment in Kentucky's local government was up by 600 jobs, and the state government added 200 jobs. On the other hand, employment in the professional and business services sector decreased by 200 jobs, and the information services sector saw a drop of 200 positions from April to May.
The manufacturing sector showed a significant increase, adding 3,300 jobs from April 2025 to May 2025. However, construction employment was down by 100 jobs in May. The transportation, warehousing, and utilities subsector increased by 500 jobs, and the mining and logging sector added 100 jobs. The educational and health services sector reported 400 fewer positions in May 2025.
The number of people employed in May increased by 4,321 to 2,013,428, while the number unemployed decreased by 3,046 to 106,312. Kentucky's civilian labor force was 2,119,740 in May 2025. It's essential to note that county unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted due to the small sample size.
As for the trends in Kentucky's major nonfarm labor sectors, the manufacturing sector showed slight month-to-month fluctuation but overall stability, with employment standing at around 259,600 jobs in June 2025. The leisure and hospitality sector, while not explicitly detailed, may be steady or growing modestly, consistent with broader U.S. trends.
The government sector showed growth, with about 3,400 positions added in the first half of 2025. Construction showed strong year-to-date job growth, adding 6,000 new jobs in the first six months of 2025. However, there were no detailed recent data found specifically for financial activities, trade/transportation/utilities, mining and logging, professional and business services, information services, or other services sectors within the search results provided.
Overall, Kentucky's statewide unemployment rate was modestly down to 4.9% in June 2025, with steady additions in jobs across key sectors like manufacturing, construction, education and health services, and government, despite some monthly fluctuations in sectors like manufacturing and construction. The labor force growth appears to be stabilizing after strong gains in previous years.
For more information about Kentucky labor market information, visit the Kentucky Center for Statistics website.
- The Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet reported increased employment in the government sector by 400 jobs from April to May 2025.
- The arts and culture sector data was not specifically mentioned in the provided search results.
- The leisure and hospitality sector added 1,200 jobs in May 2025, which could potentially include employment in the tourism industry.
- The employment in Kentucky's local government increased by 600 jobs, while the state government added 200 jobs.
- The manufacturing sector showed a significant increase, adding 3,300 jobs from April 2025 to May 2025, indicating a positive trend in the industry.
- The transportation, warehousing, and utilities subsector increased by 500 jobs, showing growth in the sector related to the movement of goods and services.
