The unemployment rate saw a slight drop in Clinton County between last month, November 2011, and the same month a year ago, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.

The drop of just about one half of one percent, from 9.6 percent in November, 2010, to the 9.1 percent rate reported here last year, put Clinton County in the group of 114 Kentucky counties that enjoyed lower jobless rates in comparing those same two months.

With 4,872 adults in the labor force, Clinton County had 4,431 of those at work, representing an unemployment rate of 9.1 percent for November, 2011, compared to 9.6 percent last year.

According to the figures, 441 eligible adult Clinton County workers were unemployed last month.

Still, that 9.1 percent jobless rate was a slight increase in the unemployment rate reported for Clinton County in the previous month, October, 2011, when a rate of 8.8 percent was listed.

Of Kentucky’s 120 counties, only six had higher unemployment rates last month than had been listed a year ago.

In the 10 county Lake Cumberland area, the unemployment rate for last month was 9.9 percent, just slightly higher than the 9.8 percent reported in this region for October, 2011. Overall, the region experienced a full percentage point drop in unemployment last month compared to a year ago, when 10.9 percent was reported for the region in November, 2010.

There are 97,042 eligible adult workers across the 10 county Lake Cumberland area.

Other area counties, and their respective unemployment rate for November, 2011, were: Cumberland (11.1), McCreary (13.9), Russell (9.1), Wayne (12.2) and Pulaski (10.1).

Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the Commonwealth at 6.3 percent. It was followed by Ohio County, 6.6 percent; Fayette County, 6.7 percent; Caldwell and Daviess counties, 7 percent each; Oldham and Warren counties, 7.1 percent each; and Calloway, Franklin, Hopkins and Madison counties, 7.2 percent each.

Jackson County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 15.1 percent. It was followed by Fulton County, 14.2 percent; Magoffin County, 14 percent; McCreary County, 13.9 percent; Meade County, 13.5 percent; Clay County, 12.8 percent; Bell County, 12.7 percent; Lee County, 12.4 percent; Menifee County, 12.3 percent and Wayne County, 12.2 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 to allow for comparisons between United States, state and county figures.

Learn more about the Office of Employment and Training at www.workforce.ky.gov.