EDITORS NOTE: December county unemployment rate charts are posted at http://workforce.ky.gov/Dec07charts.pdf. Acrobat Reader is required to view charts. To download Acrobat Reader, please see the end of this news release.

FRANKFORT, Ky.  — Unemployment rates rose in 74 Kentucky counties between December 2006 and December 2007, fell in 33 counties and remained the same in 13 counties, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Education Cabinet.

Fayette and Woodford counties recorded the lowest jobless rate in the commonwealth at 3.7 percent each. Other counties with low unemployment rates were Warren County, 3.8 percent; Jessamine County, 4.2 percent; Bourbon, Madison and Scott counties, 4.3 percent each; Franklin County, 4.4 percent; and Boone and Daviess counties, 4.5 percent each.

Jackson County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 10.1 percent. It was followed by Magoffin County, 10 percent; Menifee County, 9.6 percent; Spencer County, 9.2 percent; Clay County, 9 percent; Harlan and Owsley counties, 8.9 percent each; Wolfe County, 8.8 percent; Morgan County, 8.2 percent; and McCreary County, 7.9 percent.

Unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working. Civilian labor force statistics include non-military workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks. The statistics in this news release are not seasonally adjusted to allow for comparisons between United States, state and county figures.

Learn more about the Office of Employment and Training at www.workforce.ky.gov.

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