Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Hancock County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 120 counties in 2015, at $1,320. Robertson County had the lowest, at $495. The median was $670 and the figure for Kentucky was $834. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,320Hancock County
Median670120 counties
Kentucky834History

Map of counties, 2015

Adair County: 569 USDAllen County: 671 USDAnderson County: 675 USDBallard County: 1,071 USDBarren County: 669 USDBath County: 635 USDBell County: 623 USDBoone County: 862 USDBourbon County: 764 USDBoyd County: 888 USDBoyle County: 738 USDBracken County: 668 USDBreathitt County: 653 USDBreckinridge County: 604 USDBullitt County: 667 USDButler County: 634 USDCaldwell County: 599 USDCalloway County: 633 USDCampbell County: 772 USDCarlisle County: 558 USDCarroll County: 1,034 USDCarter County: 599 USDCasey County: 579 USDChristian County: 749 USDClark County: 770 USDClay County: 663 USDClinton County: 567 USDCrittenden County: 534 USDCumberland County: 641 USDDaviess County: 757 USDEdmonson County: 606 USDElliott County: 567 USDEstill County: 637 USDFayette County: 890 USDFleming County: 598 USDFloyd County: 717 USDFranklin County: 798 USDFulton County: 619 USDGallatin County: 819 USDGarrard County: 642 USDGrant County: 696 USDGraves County: 675 USDGrayson County: 617 USDGreen County: 547 USDGreenup County: 732 USDHancock County: 1,320 USDHardin County: 780 USDHarlan County: 673 USDHarrison County: 744 USDHart County: 653 USDHenderson County: 753 USDHenry County: 686 USDHickman County: 556 USDHopkins County: 792 USDJackson County: 616 USDJefferson County: 988 USDJessamine County: 729 USDJohnson County: 624 USDKenton County: 942 USDKnott County: 647 USDKnox County: 603 USDLarue County: 575 USDLaurel County: 664 USDLawrence County: 682 USDLee County: 610 USDLeslie County: 681 USDLetcher County: 672 USDLewis County: 578 USDLincoln County: 622 USDLivingston County: 797 USDLogan County: 771 USDLyon County: 544 USDMcCracken County: 797 USDMcCreary County: 646 USDMcLean County: 661 USDMadison County: 713 USDMagoffin County: 555 USDMarion County: 713 USDMarshall County: 927 USDMartin County: 798 USDMason County: 768 USDMeade County: 685 USDMenifee County: 595 USDMercer County: 871 USDMetcalfe County: 648 USDMonroe County: 573 USDMontgomery County: 702 USDMorgan County: 626 USDMuhlenberg County: 826 USDNelson County: 738 USDNicholas County: 554 USDOhio County: 630 USDOldham County: 778 USDOwen County: 694 USDOwsley County: 506 USDPendleton County: 773 USDPerry County: 722 USDPike County: 787 USDPowell County: 584 USDPulaski County: 659 USDRobertson County: 495 USDRockcastle County: 587 USDRowan County: 635 USDRussell County: 570 USDScott County: 992 USDShelby County: 736 USDSimpson County: 697 USDSpencer County: 634 USDTaylor County: 633 USDTodd County: 575 USDTrigg County: 587 USDTrimble County: 828 USDUnion County: 823 USDWarren County: 771 USDWashington County: 712 USDWayne County: 590 USDWebster County: 980 USDWhitley County: 681 USDWolfe County: 536 USDWoodford County: 807 USD
  • Under 590
  • 590 to 630
  • 630 to 670
  • 670 to 730
  • 730 to 800
  • 800 and over
USD, 2015. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2015

Hancock County: 1,320 USDHancock County1,320Ballard County: 1,071 USDBallard County1,071Carroll County: 1,034 USDCarroll County1,034Scott County: 992 USDScott County992Jefferson County: 988 USDJefferson County988Webster County: 980 USDWebster County980Kenton County: 942 USDKenton County942Marshall County: 927 USDMarshall County927Fayette County: 890 USDFayette County890Boyd County: 888 USDBoyd County888Mercer County: 871 USDMercer County871Boone County: 862 USDBoone County862Trimble County: 828 USDTrimble County828Muhlenberg County: 826 USDMuhlenberg County826Union County: 823 USDUnion County823Gallatin County: 819 USDGallatin County819Woodford County: 807 USDWoodford County807Franklin County: 798 USDFranklin County798Martin County: 798 USDMartin County798Livingston County: 797 USDLivingston County797McCracken County: 797 USDMcCracken County797Hopkins County: 792 USDHopkins County792Pike County: 787 USDPike County787Hardin County: 780 USDHardin County780Oldham County: 778 USDOldham County778Pendleton County: 773 USDPendleton County773Campbell County: 772 USDCampbell County772Logan County: 771 USDLogan County771Warren County: 771 USDWarren County771Clark County: 770 USDClark County770Mason County: 768 USDMason County768Bourbon County: 764 USDBourbon County764Daviess County: 757 USDDaviess County757Henderson County: 753 USDHenderson County753Christian County: 749 USDChristian County749Harrison County: 744 USDHarrison County744Boyle County: 738 USDBoyle County738Nelson County: 738 USDNelson County738Shelby County: 736 USDShelby County736Greenup County: 732 USDGreenup County732Hancock County: 1,320 USDHancock County1,320Ballard County: 1,071 USDBallard County1,071Carroll County: 1,034 USDCarroll County1,034Scott County: 992 USDScott County992Jefferson County: 988 USDJefferson County988Webster County: 980 USDWebster County980Kenton County: 942 USDKenton County942Marshall County: 927 USDMarshall County927Fayette County: 890 USDFayette County890Boyd County: 888 USDBoyd County888Mercer County: 871 USDMercer County871Boone County: 862 USDBoone County862Trimble County: 828 USDTrimble County828Muhlenberg County: 826 USDMuhlenberg County826Union County: 823 USDUnion County823Gallatin County: 819 USDGallatin County819Woodford County: 807 USDWoodford County807Franklin County: 798 USDFranklin County798Martin County: 798 USDMartin County798Livingston County: 797 USDLivingston County797McCracken County: 797 USDMcCracken County797Hopkins County: 792 USDHopkins County792Pike County: 787 USDPike County787Hardin County: 780 USDHardin County780Oldham County: 778 USDOldham County778Pendleton County: 773 USDPendleton County773Campbell County: 772 USDCampbell County772Logan County: 771 USDLogan County771Warren County: 771 USDWarren County771Clark County: 770 USDClark County770Mason County: 768 USDMason County768Bourbon County: 764 USDBourbon County764Daviess County: 757 USDDaviess County757Henderson County: 753 USDHenderson County753Christian County: 749 USDChristian County749Harrison County: 744 USDHarrison County744Boyle County: 738 USDBoyle County738Nelson County: 738 USDNelson County738Shelby County: 736 USDShelby County736Greenup County: 732 USDGreenup County732
USD. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015
USD
Change on 2014
1Hancock County1,320+6.1%
2Ballard County1,071-0.7%
3Carroll County1,034+7.4%
4Scott County9920%
5Jefferson County988+4.6%
6Webster County980+3.6%
7Kenton County942+1.4%
8Marshall County927+3.2%
9Fayette County890+3.9%
10Boyd County888-0.1%
11Mercer County871+0.5%
12Boone County862+2.5%
13Trimble County828+3.1%
14Muhlenberg County826+2.2%
15Union County823-3.4%
16Gallatin County819-6.1%
17Woodford County807+5.6%
18Franklin County798+2.3%
18Martin County798-1.2%
20Livingston County797-2%
20McCracken County797+2%
22Hopkins County792+1%
23Pike County787+0.4%
24Hardin County780+2.1%
25Oldham County778+4.6%
26Pendleton County773+0.5%
27Campbell County772+3.3%
28Logan County771+2%
28Warren County771+4.3%
30Clark County770+5.2%
31Mason County768-1.2%
32Bourbon County764+2.6%
33Daviess County757+4.3%
34Henderson County753+3.9%
35Christian County749-0.4%
36Harrison County744+4.2%
37Boyle County738+3.4%
37Nelson County738+3.4%
39Shelby County736+2.6%
40Greenup County732+3.4%
41Jessamine County729+3.6%
42Perry County722+0.7%
43Floyd County717+0.8%
44Madison County713+2%
44Marion County713+6.3%
46Washington County712+5.3%
47Montgomery County702+1.2%
48Simpson County697+3.9%
49Grant County696+6.6%
50Owen County694+0.6%
51Henry County686+1.6%
52Meade County685+5.4%
53Lawrence County682+4.9%
54Leslie County681+3.8%
54Whitley County681+4.4%
56Anderson County675+2.1%
56Graves County675+5%
58Harlan County673-5.1%
59Letcher County672-1.5%
60Allen County671+6.8%
61Barren County669+3.9%
62Bracken County668-0.3%
63Bullitt County667+3.9%
64Laurel County664+0.3%
65Clay County663+2.5%
66McLean County661+7.1%
67Pulaski County659+4.8%
68Breathitt County653+1.1%
68Hart County653+4.1%
70Metcalfe County648+4.5%
71Knott County647+0.2%
72McCreary County646+3%
73Garrard County642+5.4%
74Cumberland County641+5.1%
75Estill County637+6.9%
76Bath County635+5%
76Rowan County635+3.8%
78Butler County634+0.3%
78Spencer County634+3.3%
80Calloway County633+3.4%
80Taylor County633+5.7%
82Ohio County630+3.1%
83Morgan County626+3%
84Johnson County624+1.3%
85Bell County623+3.8%
86Lincoln County622+3.7%
87Fulton County619-0.2%
88Grayson County617+1.6%
89Jackson County616+0.7%
90Lee County610+3.4%
91Edmonson County606+2.4%
92Breckinridge County604+2.2%
93Knox County603+5.6%
94Caldwell County599+1.9%
94Carter County599+3.3%
96Fleming County598+2%
97Menifee County595+1%
98Wayne County590+1.2%
99Rockcastle County587+3.3%
99Trigg County587+1.2%
101Powell County584+5.6%
102Casey County579+4.5%
103Lewis County578+5.1%
104Larue County575+6.1%
104Todd County575+5.3%
106Monroe County573+4.2%
107Russell County570+1.6%
108Adair County569+2.5%
109Clinton County567+3.8%
109Elliott County567+4.6%
111Carlisle County558+3.7%
112Hickman County556+3%
113Magoffin County555-1.8%
114Nicholas County554+5.1%
115Green County547-0.4%
116Lyon County544+5.8%
117Wolfe County536+5.9%
118Crittenden County534-1.1%
119Owsley County5060%
120Robertson County495-1.8%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages paid during the year divided by the average number of covered jobs and by 52, in US dollars, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

In current dollars, not adjusted for inflation. An average per job, so part-time jobs pull it down and high earners pull it up; for the typical job use median_annual_wage. Wages include bonuses, stock options exercised, severance pay and tips, which makes counties with corporate headquarters stand out. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/kentucky-counties?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/kentucky-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/kentucky-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_kentucky_by_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/kentucky-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/kentucky-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/kentucky-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Hancock County, with $1,320 in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Robertson County, with $495 in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Average weekly wage (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings