Counties in Kentucky by business establishments (QCEW)

Jefferson County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 120 counties in 2014, at 24,478. Robertson County had the lowest, at 45. The median was 382 and the figure for Kentucky was 121,114. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest24,478Jefferson County
Median382120 counties
Kentucky121,114History

Map of counties, 2014

Adair County: 415 countAllen County: 302 countAnderson County: 380 countBallard County: 187 countBarren County: 1,068 countBath County: 190 countBell County: 615 countBoone County: 4,154 countBourbon County: 536 countBoyd County: 1,630 countBoyle County: 858 countBracken County: 151 countBreathitt County: 342 countBreckinridge County: 406 countBullitt County: 1,226 countButler County: 256 countCaldwell County: 333 countCalloway County: 1,005 countCampbell County: 2,108 countCarlisle County: 120 countCarroll County: 316 countCarter County: 550 countCasey County: 316 countChristian County: 1,674 countClark County: 880 countClay County: 384 countClinton County: 266 countCrittenden County: 177 countCumberland County: 141 countDaviess County: 2,903 countEdmonson County: 158 countElliott County: 85 countEstill County: 218 countFayette County: 10,388 countFleming County: 317 countFloyd County: 1,071 countFranklin County: 1,795 countFulton County: 205 countGallatin County: 153 countGarrard County: 297 countGrant County: 469 countGraves County: 863 countGrayson County: 655 countGreen County: 194 countGreenup County: 619 countHancock County: 186 countHardin County: 3,139 countHarlan County: 563 countHarrison County: 363 countHart County: 339 countHenderson County: 1,219 countHenry County: 293 countHickman County: 110 countHopkins County: 1,108 countJackson County: 165 countJefferson County: 24,478 countJessamine County: 1,270 countJohnson County: 535 countKenton County: 4,015 countKnott County: 278 countKnox County: 579 countLarue County: 285 countLaurel County: 1,428 countLawrence County: 289 countLee County: 166 countLeslie County: 168 countLetcher County: 471 countLewis County: 194 countLincoln County: 421 countLivingston County: 201 countLogan County: 592 countLyon County: 196 countMcCracken County: 2,457 countMcCreary County: 255 countMcLean County: 215 countMadison County: 1,990 countMagoffin County: 219 countMarion County: 475 countMarshall County: 785 countMartin County: 225 countMason County: 549 countMeade County: 443 countMenifee County: 100 countMercer County: 483 countMetcalfe County: 181 countMonroe County: 271 countMontgomery County: 685 countMorgan County: 227 countMuhlenberg County: 609 countNelson County: 1,183 countNicholas County: 108 countOhio County: 419 countOldham County: 1,576 countOwen County: 131 countOwsley County: 83 countPendleton County: 221 countPerry County: 844 countPike County: 1,705 countPowell County: 242 countPulaski County: 1,720 countRobertson County: 45 countRockcastle County: 243 countRowan County: 593 countRussell County: 429 countScott County: 1,152 countShelby County: 1,114 countSimpson County: 485 countSpencer County: 269 countTaylor County: 752 countTodd County: 251 countTrigg County: 280 countTrimble County: 115 countUnion County: 370 countWarren County: 3,640 countWashington County: 316 countWayne County: 366 countWebster County: 255 countWhitley County: 857 countWolfe County: 129 countWoodford County: 738 count
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 600
  • 600 to 1,200
  • 1,200 and over
count, 2014. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2014

Jefferson County: 24,478 countJefferson County24,478Fayette County: 10,388 countFayette County10,388Boone County: 4,154 countBoone County4,154Kenton County: 4,015 countKenton County4,015Warren County: 3,640 countWarren County3,640Hardin County: 3,139 countHardin County3,139Daviess County: 2,903 countDaviess County2,903McCracken County: 2,457 countMcCracken County2,457Campbell County: 2,108 countCampbell County2,108Madison County: 1,990 countMadison County1,990Franklin County: 1,795 countFranklin County1,795Pulaski County: 1,720 countPulaski County1,720Pike County: 1,705 countPike County1,705Christian County: 1,674 countChristian County1,674Boyd County: 1,630 countBoyd County1,630Oldham County: 1,576 countOldham County1,576Laurel County: 1,428 countLaurel County1,428Jessamine County: 1,270 countJessamine County1,270Bullitt County: 1,226 countBullitt County1,226Henderson County: 1,219 countHenderson County1,219Nelson County: 1,183 countNelson County1,183Scott County: 1,152 countScott County1,152Shelby County: 1,114 countShelby County1,114Hopkins County: 1,108 countHopkins County1,108Floyd County: 1,071 countFloyd County1,071Barren County: 1,068 countBarren County1,068Calloway County: 1,005 countCalloway County1,005Clark County: 880 countClark County880Graves County: 863 countGraves County863Boyle County: 858 countBoyle County858Whitley County: 857 countWhitley County857Perry County: 844 countPerry County844Marshall County: 785 countMarshall County785Taylor County: 752 countTaylor County752Woodford County: 738 countWoodford County738Montgomery County: 685 countMontgomery County685Grayson County: 655 countGrayson County655Greenup County: 619 countGreenup County619Bell County: 615 countBell County615Muhlenberg County: 609 countMuhlenberg County609Jefferson County: 24,478 countJefferson County24,478Fayette County: 10,388 countFayette County10,388Boone County: 4,154 countBoone County4,154Kenton County: 4,015 countKenton County4,015Warren County: 3,640 countWarren County3,640Hardin County: 3,139 countHardin County3,139Daviess County: 2,903 countDaviess County2,903McCracken County: 2,457 countMcCracken County2,457Campbell County: 2,108 countCampbell County2,108Madison County: 1,990 countMadison County1,990Franklin County: 1,795 countFranklin County1,795Pulaski County: 1,720 countPulaski County1,720Pike County: 1,705 countPike County1,705Christian County: 1,674 countChristian County1,674Boyd County: 1,630 countBoyd County1,630Oldham County: 1,576 countOldham County1,576Laurel County: 1,428 countLaurel County1,428Jessamine County: 1,270 countJessamine County1,270Bullitt County: 1,226 countBullitt County1,226Henderson County: 1,219 countHenderson County1,219Nelson County: 1,183 countNelson County1,183Scott County: 1,152 countScott County1,152Shelby County: 1,114 countShelby County1,114Hopkins County: 1,108 countHopkins County1,108Floyd County: 1,071 countFloyd County1,071Barren County: 1,068 countBarren County1,068Calloway County: 1,005 countCalloway County1,005Clark County: 880 countClark County880Graves County: 863 countGraves County863Boyle County: 858 countBoyle County858Whitley County: 857 countWhitley County857Perry County: 844 countPerry County844Marshall County: 785 countMarshall County785Taylor County: 752 countTaylor County752Woodford County: 738 countWoodford County738Montgomery County: 685 countMontgomery County685Grayson County: 655 countGrayson County655Greenup County: 619 countGreenup County619Bell County: 615 countBell County615Muhlenberg County: 609 countMuhlenberg County609
count. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2014
count
Change on 2013
1Jefferson County24,478+2.3%
2Fayette County10,388+2.6%
3Boone County4,154+3.6%
4Kenton County4,015+2.3%
5Warren County3,640+5.3%
6Hardin County3,139+2.7%
7Daviess County2,903+1.8%
8McCracken County2,457+0.7%
9Campbell County2,108+2.6%
10Madison County1,990+3.5%
11Franklin County1,795+6.1%
12Pulaski County1,720+2.1%
13Pike County1,705-0.5%
14Christian County1,674+1.5%
15Boyd County1,630+0.6%
16Oldham County1,576+3%
17Laurel County1,428+2.4%
18Jessamine County1,270+4.3%
19Bullitt County1,226+2.9%
20Henderson County1,219+1.8%
21Nelson County1,183+1.8%
22Scott County1,152+3.5%
23Shelby County1,114+3.9%
24Hopkins County1,108+0.5%
25Floyd County1,071+2.9%
26Barren County1,068-1%
27Calloway County1,005+1.6%
28Clark County880+1.6%
29Graves County863+3.1%
30Boyle County858+0.6%
31Whitley County857+2.8%
32Perry County844-2%
33Marshall County785+0.6%
34Taylor County752+1.8%
35Woodford County738+3.7%
36Montgomery County685+3.8%
37Grayson County655+1.6%
38Greenup County619+1.6%
39Bell County615-1%
40Muhlenberg County609+0.8%
41Rowan County593+4.8%
42Logan County592+0.5%
43Knox County579+1.2%
44Harlan County563-0.5%
45Carter County550+2.8%
46Mason County549+0.9%
47Bourbon County536+3.9%
48Johnson County535+3.1%
49Simpson County485+4.8%
50Mercer County483-2.2%
51Marion County475+1.5%
52Letcher County471-0.8%
53Grant County469+2.9%
54Meade County443+0.5%
55Russell County429-1.8%
56Lincoln County421+3.7%
57Ohio County419+1.9%
58Adair County415-0.2%
59Breckinridge County406+6%
60Clay County384+4.1%
61Anderson County380+2.2%
62Union County370+0.5%
63Wayne County366+1.1%
64Harrison County3630%
65Breathitt County342+1.2%
66Hart County339+1.5%
67Caldwell County333-0.6%
68Fleming County317+2.6%
69Carroll County316+2.3%
69Casey County316+4.6%
69Washington County316+3.9%
72Allen County302+1%
73Garrard County297+2.8%
74Henry County293+1.4%
75Lawrence County289+2.1%
76Larue County285-1.4%
77Trigg County280+0.4%
78Knott County278-2.1%
79Monroe County271+3.8%
80Spencer County269+1.1%
81Clinton County266+6%
82Butler County2560%
83McCreary County255+5.4%
83Webster County2550%
85Todd County251+2.9%
86Rockcastle County243+0.8%
87Powell County242+6.1%
88Morgan County227+0.9%
89Martin County225-1.3%
90Pendleton County221+0.9%
91Magoffin County219+3.8%
92Estill County2180%
93McLean County215+4.9%
94Fulton County205+1%
95Livingston County201+0.5%
96Lyon County1960%
97Green County194+2.6%
97Lewis County194+2.6%
99Bath County190+6.1%
100Ballard County1870%
101Hancock County1860%
102Metcalfe County181-2.2%
103Crittenden County177+1.1%
104Leslie County168+1.2%
105Lee County166-2.4%
106Jackson County165-0.6%
107Edmonson County158+2.6%
108Gallatin County153-0.6%
109Bracken County151-3.8%
110Cumberland County141+1.4%
111Owen County131-6.4%
112Wolfe County1290%
113Carlisle County120+5.3%
114Trimble County115+0.9%
115Hickman County110+1.9%
116Nicholas County108-0.9%
117Menifee County1000%
118Elliott County85+10.4%
119Owsley County83+7.8%
120Robertson County45+7.1%

Other periods

About this ranking

Average number of establishments with jobs covered by unemployment insurance during the year, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. An establishment is a single place of business, such as a factory, store or office; a company with several locations has several.

Counts places of business, not firms: for firms use employer_firms. Changes in how large employers report their locations can move the count without any change in activity.

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 establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/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 establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Kentucky by business establishments (QCEW), 2014) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by business establishments (QCEW), 2014. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/kentucky-counties?period=2014. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Kentucky by business establishments (QCEW), 2014. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/kentucky-counties?period=2014.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by business establishments (QCEW), 2014 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/kentucky-counties?period=2014 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_kentucky_by_2014,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by business establishments (QCEW), 2014}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/kentucky-counties?period=2014. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/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 establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by business establishments (QCEW), 2014
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/kentucky-counties?period=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/kentucky-counties?period=2014.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest business establishments (QCEW)?

Jefferson County, with 24,478 in 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Robertson County, with 45 in 2014.

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 establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Business establishments (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings