How many jobs were added in Kentucky last month?
Refreshed monthly
Kentucky gained 200 jobs in August 2026, ranking it 32nd 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 2,000 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+200
month to month change in number of jobs (August 2026)
32nd
rank among states in monthly job growth (August 2026)
August 2026’s gain of 200 jobs was the 3rd consecutive month of positive job growth in Kentucky. Monthly job growth was down from the 3,000 new jobs in July 2026.
During the latest five year period (September 2021 to August 2026), Kentucky gained jobs in 43 out of 60 months. August 2026 had the 19th-lowest 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 200 more jobs in August 2026 in Kentucky than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, September 2021–August 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Kentucky sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in August 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in August 2026 were retail trade, construction, and arts, entertainment, and recreation. Retail trade added 1,500 jobs, more than the entire economy. Construction gained 1,100 jobs, while arts, entertainment, and recreation added 700. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were transportation, warehousing, and utilities, accommodation and food services, and administrative and support and waste management and remediation services. Transportation, warehousing, and utilities lost 1,800 jobs in August 2026, while accommodation and food services lost 1,600 jobs and administrative and support and waste management and remediation services lost 700 jobs.
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The health care and social assistance sector gained 400 jobs during August 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Kentucky (August 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 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 4,500 on average every month 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 August 2026 ranged from a loss of 1,900 jobs in the Louisville, KY area to a gain of 300 jobs in the Bowling Green, KY 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. | +300 | |
| 2. | +200 | |
| 3. | +100 | |
| 4. | +100 | |
| 5. | +0 | |
| 6. | +0 | |
| 7. | -900 | |
| 8. | -1,900 |
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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.
