Department of Numbers

Bowling Green, Kentucky Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Bowling Green rose 0.1 percentage points in November 2023 to 4.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points lower than the Kentucky rate. The unemployment rate in Bowling Green peaked in April 2020 at 18.0% and is now 13.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.6% in February 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.5 percentage points. You can also compare Bowling Green unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
Kentucky 4.3% +0.1 +0.4
Bowling Green 4.1% +0.1 +0.4
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with November 2023 data as December metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Bowling Green, Kentucky, National

Bowling Green, Kentucky monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Bowling Green, Kentucky Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Bowling Green peaked in April 2020 at 14,659. There are now 11,159 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 3,051 in March 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 449.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Bowling Green 3,500 +83 +327

Number of Unemployed Persons

Bowling Green, Kentucky Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Kentucky
Unemployment Rate
Bowling Green
Unemployment Rate
Bowling Green
Unemployed
December
2023
3.7%
November
2023
3.7% 4.3% 4.1% 3,500
October
2023
3.8% 4.2% 4.0% 3,417
September
2023
3.8% 4.1% 4.0% 3,420
August
2023
3.8% 4.0% 3.9% 3,323
July
2023
3.5% 3.9% 3.8% 3,228
June
2023
3.6% 3.8% 3.7% 3,162
May
2023
3.7% 3.8% 3.7% 3,162
April
2023
3.4% 3.7% 3.7% 3,130
March
2023
3.5% 3.8% 3.7% 3,150
February
2023
3.6% 3.9% 3.7% 3,188
January
2023
3.4% 3.9% 3.7% 3,138

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.