With the increase, Trigg County is now tied with Jackson County for the third highest unemployment rate, with Bath County occupying the second spot at 16.5 percent and Menifee County occupying the top spot at 17.7 percent.
Fayette County has the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 6.3 percent, followed by Woodford County at 6.6 percent and Pike County at 7.1 percent.
According to Kim Saylor Brannock at the workforce development cabinet, unemployment statistics are compiled to measure trends, not to actually count people working, are not seasonally adjusted and don’t count unemployed Kentuckians that haven’t looked for employment in the past four weeks.
Unemployment rates increased from December to January in 119 of Kentucky’s counties, but stayed the same in Martin County, officials said.
In recent months, the Johnson Controls Inc, plant has been closing, and businesses such as American National Rubber, GFB and others have been laying off workers to try and keep from closing.
Trigg County Judge Executive Stan Humphries said the Trigg County Economic Development Commission is doing all it can to entice new businesses to relocate to Trigg County. “I think we would all like to see that number drop,” he said.
