How many jobs were added in Kentucky last month?
Refreshed monthly
Kentucky gained 2,300 jobs in July 2026, ranking it 15th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 2,100 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+2.3K
month to month change in number of jobs (July 2026)
15th
rank among states in monthly job growth (July 2026)
July 2026’s gain of 2,300 jobs was the second consecutive month of positive job growth in Kentucky. Monthly job growth was up from the 700 new jobs in June 2026.
During the latest five year period (August 2021 to July 2026), Kentucky gained jobs in 43 out of 60 months. July 2026 had the 24th-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+21,000) while job growth was weakest in January 2025 (-7,500).
There were 2,300 more jobs in July 2026 in Kentucky than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, August 2021–July 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Kentucky sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in July 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in July 2026 were health care and social assistance, durable goods, and transportation, warehousing, and utilities. Health care and social assistance added 1,600 jobs. Durable goods gained 1,500 jobs, while transportation, warehousing, and utilities added 900. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were arts, entertainment, and recreation, construction, and management of companies and enterprises. Arts, entertainment, and recreation lost 1,100 jobs in July 2026, while construction lost 500 jobs and management of companies and enterprises lost 400 jobs.
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The health care and social assistance sector gained 1,600 jobs during July 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Kentucky (July 2026)
How has Kentucky's job growth changed over time?
In 2025, Kentucky lost an average of 475 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 433, and the lowest since 2020. The 2025 average ranks as fourth-lowest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 4,800 in 2009 to a gain of 3,500 in 2022.
In 2025, Kentucky lost an average of 475 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among six metro areas primarily in Kentucky during July 2026 ranged from a loss of 100 jobs in the Owensboro, KY area to a gain of 1,500 jobs in the Louisville, KY area metro area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Kentucky
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +1,600 | |
| 2. | +1,500 | |
| 3. | +900 | |
| 4. | +300 | |
| 5. | +200 | |
| 6. | +0 | |
| 7. | -100 | |
| 8. | -100 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
