The unemployment rate in Clinton County decreased to 7.2 percent in September. The local rate has been in the single digits for most of this year, after having been in double-digits most of last year.

Unemployment rates in the Lake Cumberland area, as well as the state and locally, continued its decline during the month of September, according to statistics recently released by the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training.

The jobless rate in the 10-county Lake Cumberland area dropped a half-percent from August to September, standing at 6.6 percent in September, compared to 7.1 percent the previous month. It was also much lower than the 11.3 percent unemployment recorded in the area in September 2013.

None of the 10 counties in the Lake Cumberland area saw double-digit unemployment for the month.

The lowest rate in September was recorded in Taylor County at 5.4 percent while McCreary County’s 9.2 percent was the areas highest for the month.

Other area jobless rates in the area in September were: Adair County, 5.7 percent; Casey County, 6 percent; Cumberland County, 6.3 percent; Green County, 5.5 percent; Pulaski County, 6.6 percent; Russell County, 7.5 percent and Wayne County at 8.1 percent.

Daviess and Warren counties recorded Kentucky’s lowest unemployment during the month at 4.8 percent each. They were followed by Boone, Fayette, Madison, Oldham, Owen, Scot†, Shelby, Simpson, Spencer and Woodford counties at 4.9 percent each.

Jackson County had the state’s highest unemployment in September at 12.6 percent, followed by Harlan and Leslie counties at 11.4 percent each. Other counties with higher rates include Letcher County, 10.9 percent; Knott County, 10.1 percent; Bell County, 9.7 percent; Clay County, 9.6 percent and Fulton County at 9.4 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 work within the past four weeks.