Unemployment in Louisville

November 26, 9:16 AMLouisville City Hall ExaminerThomas McAdam

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This week, Kentucky Office of Employment and Training released a report, indicating that unemployment increased in all 120 Kentucky counties between October 2008, and October, 2009. For Metro Louisville, the unemployment rate was 10.9% for last month; up from 6.6% a year ago.

Metro Louisville has 323,223 employed workers in the private sector, combined with 39,223 government employees, for a total of 362,688 employed. Last month, there were 39,465 workers unemployed and looking for jobs.

In Louisville’s SMSA (Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area)—including Jefferson and surrounding counties, including southern Indiana—there are a total of 628,972 workers, and 64,841 unemployed. This yields an unemployment rate of 10.3%; compared to 6.5% last year at this time.

Our true blue neighbors over in Lexington (Metro Fayette County) had the lowest employment rate in the commonwealth, at 7.8%. Magoffin County had the highest rate at 21.%.

(Chart:  U.S. Dept. Labor)

All the other counties in the Louisville MSA also experienced considerable increases in year-over-year unemployment rates in October:

• Bullitt County increased to 11.3% from 7.6% in October 2008;

• Henry County increased to 9.6% from 6.6% October 2008;

• Oldham County increased to 8.8% from 6.1% in October 2008;

• Shelby County increased to 9.9% from 5.9% in October 2008;

• Spencer County increased to 10.6% from 8.4% in October 2008;

• And Trimble County increased to 11.1% from 7.5% in October 2008.

Numbers. Statistics. As you finish digesting your Thanksgiving turkey, just remember that each one of these unemployed workers mentioned in this report is a fellow human being; many with families that didn’t have a lot to be thankful for this year. A decidedly Dickensian Christmas is in store for them. How did you vote in the last election?

How’s that “Hope & Change” workin’ out for ‘ya?

Read more:  Get the full unemployment report

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