Change since March of last year

The region's March data continues to signal a slowing economy. The number of people employed fell over the year, and demand for workers as measured by online job postings was unchanged. The unemployment rate did tick down, but this was driven by a decline in the size of the labor force, indicating people have given up looking for work.

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Changing demographics in schools

A new tool from the Urban Institute allows users to view the demographics of U.S. PK-12 schools over time. Many local public schools have become more racially diverse over the last few decades.

Occupation and wage update

Newly released occupation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the median annual wage for the Louisville metro area as $23.25 in May 2025, or $48,370 annually. The same data found hand laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators, and registered nurses were the region’s largest three jobs.

Black-owned businesses 

Research from the Brookings Institution finds that Black-owned employer businesses have reached a historic milestone, surpassing 200,000 firms nationally for the first time in 2023 after six consecutive years of growth. These businesses are more than economic engines, they are community anchors that build wealth for their owners and the people around them. In the Louisville metropolitan area, Black-owned businesses remain underrepresented relative to the region's Black population.

The Labor Market Update is a monthly report produced by KentuckianaWorks, the Louisville region's Workforce Development Board. The report gives Louisville's policymakers and business leaders an overview of the local economy through powerful visuals and concise analysis.