Department of Numbers

Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lexington fell 1.6 percentage points in November 2020 to 4.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.7 percentage points lower than the Kentucky rate. The unemployment rate in Lexington peaked in April 2020 at 15.8% and is now 10.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.1% in June 2020, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.8 percentage points. You can also compare Lexington unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2020 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.7% -0.2 +3.1
Kentucky 5.6% -1.7 +1.3
Lexington 4.9% -1.6 +1.5
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with November 2020 data as December metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Lexington, Kentucky, National

Lexington, Kentucky monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Lexington, Kentucky Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Lexington peaked in April 2020 at 42,700. There are now 29,453 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 10,197 in July 2020, the number of unemployed has now grown by 3,050. Lexington employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Lexington, Kentucky) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2020 Month/Month Year/Year
Lexington 13,247 -3,781 +3,902

Number of Unemployed Persons

Lexington, Kentucky Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Kentucky
Unemployment Rate		 Lexington
Unemployment Rate		 Lexington
Unemployed
December
2020		 6.7% — — —
November
2020		 6.7% 5.6% 4.9% 13,247
October
2020		 6.9% 7.3% 6.5% 17,028
September
2020		 7.8% 5.6% 5.0% 12,725
August
2020		 8.4% 7.5% 6.7% 18,014
July
2020		 10.2% 4.5% 4.1% 10,197
June
2020		 11.1% 4.4% 4.1% 10,354
May
2020		 13.3% 10.9% 9.3% 24,996
April
2020		 14.8% 16.6% 15.8% 42,700
March
2020		 4.4% 5.2% 4.3% 11,713
February
2020		 3.5% 4.2% 3.4% 9,345
January
2020		 3.5% 4.3% 3.4% 9,360

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers. ↩

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