December 2024 | Released January 28, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In December, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 7, rose in 25, and remained unchanged in 19.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In December, payroll jobs rose in 43 states and fell in 7. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

Kentucky Employment Snapshot

• In December, Kentucky added 1,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 5.2 percent. In the prior month, Kentucky added 4,700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Kentucky added 28,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.9 percentage points from 4.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Kentucky is tied for 25th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Kentucky’s private sector added 1,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 26,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Kentucky added 4,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Kentucky rose by 1,973, and over the past 12 months it rose by 37,971.

• Kentucky’s labor force participation rate rose to 58.3 percent in December from 58.2 percent and ranks 44th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 1.4 percentage points.

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Kentucky Payroll Employment

• Kentucky added 1,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Kentucky added 4,700 jobs. Kentucky nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Kentucky is tied for 25th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Kentucky added 1,000 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Kentucky added 4,000 jobs. Kentucky private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 223,000 jobs in December, or 0.2 percent. Kentucky ranks 22nd 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 December were Leisure and Hospitality (2,400) and Manufacturing (300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Professional and Business Services (-600) and Education and Health Services (-700).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (16,500) and Construction (4,300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-500) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,300).

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 rose to 58.3 percent in December from 58.2 percent in the prior month.

• Kentucky ranks 44th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Kentucky was 59 percent occurring in June 2017, and the 10-year low was 54.6 percent in June 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.5 percent in December.