Trigg County had an unemployment rate of 16.7 percent as of August, up from its rate of 16.3 percent in July, and it had the third highest unemployment rate in the state, according to unemployment figures released by the Kentucky Education and Workforce Cabinet last Thursday.

Of the roughly 6,700-person civilian labor force, 5,579 were listed as employed and 1,115 were listed as unemployed.

Trigg County also had the highest unemployment rate in Western Kentucky, and the highest rate in the Pennyrile District by four percent.

Nearby Calloway County had the lowest unemployment rate in western Kentucky in August at 8.8 percent. Christian County had a rate of 12.6 percent, Lyon County had a rate of 12.8 percent, Marshall County had a rate of 11.1 percent, and Caldwell County had a rate of 11.6 percent.

Magoffin County had the state’s highest unemployment rate in August at 20.9 percent, followed by Jackson County at 17.8 percent, Trigg County at 16.7 percent, Powell County at 16.6 percent, Grayson County at 16.5 percent, and Metcalfe County at 15.8 percent.

Fayette County had the lowest unemployment rate in August at 8.2 percent, followed by Woodford County at 8.6 percent, Boyd County at 8.7 percent, Calloway County at 8.8 percent, Oldham and Webster Counties at 8.9 percent, and Jessamine County at 9.3 percent.

Civilian workforce statistics include non-military workers as well as unemployed residents who are actively seeking work, but don’t include unemployed residents who haven’t sought employment within the past four weeks, Kim Brannock of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet said.

The statistics that were released last Tuesday are not seasonally adjusted to allow for comparisons between national, state and county figures, added Brannock.