Clinton County’s employment numbers have been on a roller coaster ride for the past few months, so to speak, and barring drastic changes to the latest report when the figures for July, 2014 are finalized next month, the county had it’s lowest jobless rate in over five years.

Figures just released by the agency that is responsible for keeping up with employment and unemployment rates across the state show that in July, 2014, Clinton County had a 7.9 percent unemployment rate, the lowest figures posted here since before August, 2009.

Those figures also show that for the latest six-month stretch, beginning with February, 2014, the local unemployment rate has been steadily decreasing after hitting a five-year high mark six months ago of 13 percent.

The month to month jobless figures for Clinton County beginning with February and continuing to July, 2014, saw reported rates of 13.0 percent (February), 10.2 percent (March), 9.8 percent (April), 9.4 percent (May), 9.1 percent (June) and 7.9 percent (July).

That July rate of 7.9 percent compares with a jobless rate of 9.0 percent a year ago in July, 2013.

Clinton County’s drop in it’s jobless rate last month was along a statewide trend that saw unemployment rates fall in 108 of Kentucky’s 120 counties, while 10 county rates increased, and two remained the same, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.

Among the Lake Cumberland Area Development District in this region, other unemployment rates for July, 2014, included: Cumberland (8.3), Adair (8.2), McCreary (11.7), Russell (8.4) and Wayne (10.1).

Boone County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the Commonwealth at 5.8 percent. It was followed by Caldwell County, 6 percent; Shelby and Woodford counties, 6.1 percent each; Daviess, Kenton, Oldham and Owen counties, 6.2 percent each; and Campbell and Simpson counties, 6.3 percent.

Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate – 15.4 percent. It was followed by Jackson County, 14.6 percent; Harlan County, 14.4 percent; Leslie County, 13.3 percent; Letcher County, 13.2 percent; Knott County, 12.9 percent; Fulton County, 12.7 percent; Bell County, 12.3 percent; Clay County, 12 percent; and Wolfe County, 11.8 percent.

Unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working. Civilian labor force statistics include non-military workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks. The statistics in this news release are not seasonally adjusted because of the small sample size for each county. The data should only be compared to the same month in previous years.

Learn more about Kentucky labor market information at www.kylmi.ky.gov .