Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lexington fell 0.0 percentage points in May 2018 to 3.3%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.8 percentage points lower than the Kentucky rate. The unemployment rate in Lexington peaked in July 2009 at 8.8% and is now 5.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.0% in January 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Lexington unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	May 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.8%	-0.1	-0.5
Kentucky	4.1%	+0.1	-1.0
Lexington	3.3%	0.0	-0.6

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with May 2018 data as June metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Lexington, Kentucky, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Lexington, Kentucky Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Lexington peaked in July 2009 at 20,912. There are now 11,980 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 8,096 in January 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 836. Lexington employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Lexington, Kentucky) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	May 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Lexington	8,932	-70	-1,705

Number of Unemployed Persons

Lexington, Kentucky Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Kentucky Unemployment Rate	Lexington Unemployment Rate	Lexington Unemployed
June 2018	4.0%	—	—	—
May 2018	3.8%	4.1%	3.3%	8,932
April 2018	3.9%	4.0%	3.3%	9,002
March 2018	4.1%	4.0%	3.2%	8,708
February 2018	4.1%	4.1%	3.1%	8,507
January 2018	4.1%	4.3%	3.0%	8,096
December 2017	4.1%	4.5%	3.3%	9,019
November 2017	4.1%	4.5%	3.4%	9,176
October 2017	4.1%	4.6%	3.5%	9,404
September 2017	4.2%	4.7%	3.6%	9,791
August 2017	4.4%	4.9%	3.8%	10,248
July 2017	4.3%	5.0%	3.9%	10,548