Counties in Kentucky by covered employment (QCEW)

Jefferson County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 120 counties in 2014, at 440,249 jobs. Robertson County had the lowest, at 274 jobs. The median was 4,607 jobs and the figure for Kentucky was 1,807,068 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest440,249Jefferson County
Median4,607120 counties
Kentucky1,807,068History

Map of counties, 2014

Adair County: 4,618 jobsAllen County: 4,052 jobsAnderson County: 4,384 jobsBallard County: 2,176 jobsBarren County: 16,316 jobsBath County: 1,757 jobsBell County: 8,631 jobsBoone County: 78,199 jobsBourbon County: 6,665 jobsBoyd County: 25,958 jobsBoyle County: 13,467 jobsBracken County: 1,359 jobsBreathitt County: 3,178 jobsBreckinridge County: 3,455 jobsBullitt County: 21,546 jobsButler County: 2,756 jobsCaldwell County: 4,093 jobsCalloway County: 16,275 jobsCampbell County: 28,552 jobsCarlisle County: 1,012 jobsCarroll County: 6,280 jobsCarter County: 5,595 jobsCasey County: 3,616 jobsChristian County: 31,653 jobsClark County: 13,777 jobsClay County: 3,936 jobsClinton County: 3,856 jobsCrittenden County: 1,882 jobsCumberland County: 1,658 jobsDaviess County: 44,390 jobsEdmonson County: 1,505 jobsElliott County: 881 jobsEstill County: 2,348 jobsFayette County: 184,389 jobsFleming County: 3,048 jobsFloyd County: 11,105 jobsFranklin County: 31,492 jobsFulton County: 2,254 jobsGallatin County: 2,450 jobsGarrard County: 2,112 jobsGrant County: 4,875 jobsGraves County: 10,770 jobsGrayson County: 7,506 jobsGreen County: 1,711 jobsGreenup County: 7,628 jobsHancock County: 4,365 jobsHardin County: 45,340 jobsHarlan County: 6,750 jobsHarrison County: 4,608 jobsHart County: 4,761 jobsHenderson County: 19,841 jobsHenry County: 2,672 jobsHickman County: 1,084 jobsHopkins County: 17,746 jobsJackson County: 1,788 jobsJefferson County: 440,249 jobsJessamine County: 15,693 jobsJohnson County: 5,762 jobsKenton County: 63,535 jobsKnott County: 2,557 jobsKnox County: 8,389 jobsLarue County: 2,619 jobsLaurel County: 24,493 jobsLawrence County: 3,226 jobsLee County: 1,709 jobsLeslie County: 1,740 jobsLetcher County: 4,605 jobsLewis County: 1,977 jobsLincoln County: 3,980 jobsLivingston County: 3,030 jobsLogan County: 8,227 jobsLyon County: 2,286 jobsMcCracken County: 37,930 jobsMcCreary County: 2,646 jobsMcLean County: 1,889 jobsMadison County: 34,007 jobsMagoffin County: 2,014 jobsMarion County: 7,912 jobsMarshall County: 10,884 jobsMartin County: 2,704 jobsMason County: 9,039 jobsMeade County: 4,181 jobsMenifee County: 859 jobsMercer County: 6,217 jobsMetcalfe County: 1,765 jobsMonroe County: 2,996 jobsMontgomery County: 10,709 jobsMorgan County: 2,976 jobsMuhlenberg County: 9,361 jobsNelson County: 14,622 jobsNicholas County: 845 jobsOhio County: 7,215 jobsOldham County: 14,428 jobsOwen County: 1,655 jobsOwsley County: 650 jobsPendleton County: 2,317 jobsPerry County: 12,338 jobsPike County: 21,874 jobsPowell County: 2,518 jobsPulaski County: 25,220 jobsRobertson County: 274 jobsRockcastle County: 3,524 jobsRowan County: 9,882 jobsRussell County: 5,778 jobsScott County: 24,507 jobsShelby County: 15,015 jobsSimpson County: 8,617 jobsSpencer County: 1,812 jobsTaylor County: 11,009 jobsTodd County: 2,264 jobsTrigg County: 3,326 jobsTrimble County: 1,035 jobsUnion County: 5,732 jobsWarren County: 60,044 jobsWashington County: 3,247 jobsWayne County: 5,015 jobsWebster County: 3,532 jobsWhitley County: 11,654 jobsWolfe County: 1,261 jobsWoodford County: 8,804 jobs
  • Under 2,000
  • 2,000 to 3,000
  • 3,000 to 5,000
  • 5,000 to 9,000
  • 9,000 to 17K
  • 17K and over
jobs, 2014. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2014

Jefferson County: 440,249 jobsJefferson County440,249Fayette County: 184,389 jobsFayette County184,389Boone County: 78,199 jobsBoone County78,199Kenton County: 63,535 jobsKenton County63,535Warren County: 60,044 jobsWarren County60,044Hardin County: 45,340 jobsHardin County45,340Daviess County: 44,390 jobsDaviess County44,390McCracken County: 37,930 jobsMcCracken County37,930Madison County: 34,007 jobsMadison County34,007Christian County: 31,653 jobsChristian County31,653Franklin County: 31,492 jobsFranklin County31,492Campbell County: 28,552 jobsCampbell County28,552Boyd County: 25,958 jobsBoyd County25,958Pulaski County: 25,220 jobsPulaski County25,220Scott County: 24,507 jobsScott County24,507Laurel County: 24,493 jobsLaurel County24,493Pike County: 21,874 jobsPike County21,874Bullitt County: 21,546 jobsBullitt County21,546Henderson County: 19,841 jobsHenderson County19,841Hopkins County: 17,746 jobsHopkins County17,746Barren County: 16,316 jobsBarren County16,316Calloway County: 16,275 jobsCalloway County16,275Jessamine County: 15,693 jobsJessamine County15,693Shelby County: 15,015 jobsShelby County15,015Nelson County: 14,622 jobsNelson County14,622Oldham County: 14,428 jobsOldham County14,428Clark County: 13,777 jobsClark County13,777Boyle County: 13,467 jobsBoyle County13,467Perry County: 12,338 jobsPerry County12,338Whitley County: 11,654 jobsWhitley County11,654Floyd County: 11,105 jobsFloyd County11,105Taylor County: 11,009 jobsTaylor County11,009Marshall County: 10,884 jobsMarshall County10,884Graves County: 10,770 jobsGraves County10,770Montgomery County: 10,709 jobsMontgomery County10,709Rowan County: 9,882 jobsRowan County9,882Muhlenberg County: 9,361 jobsMuhlenberg County9,361Mason County: 9,039 jobsMason County9,039Woodford County: 8,804 jobsWoodford County8,804Bell County: 8,631 jobsBell County8,631Jefferson County: 440,249 jobsJefferson County440,249Fayette County: 184,389 jobsFayette County184,389Boone County: 78,199 jobsBoone County78,199Kenton County: 63,535 jobsKenton County63,535Warren County: 60,044 jobsWarren County60,044Hardin County: 45,340 jobsHardin County45,340Daviess County: 44,390 jobsDaviess County44,390McCracken County: 37,930 jobsMcCracken County37,930Madison County: 34,007 jobsMadison County34,007Christian County: 31,653 jobsChristian County31,653Franklin County: 31,492 jobsFranklin County31,492Campbell County: 28,552 jobsCampbell County28,552Boyd County: 25,958 jobsBoyd County25,958Pulaski County: 25,220 jobsPulaski County25,220Scott County: 24,507 jobsScott County24,507Laurel County: 24,493 jobsLaurel County24,493Pike County: 21,874 jobsPike County21,874Bullitt County: 21,546 jobsBullitt County21,546Henderson County: 19,841 jobsHenderson County19,841Hopkins County: 17,746 jobsHopkins County17,746Barren County: 16,316 jobsBarren County16,316Calloway County: 16,275 jobsCalloway County16,275Jessamine County: 15,693 jobsJessamine County15,693Shelby County: 15,015 jobsShelby County15,015Nelson County: 14,622 jobsNelson County14,622Oldham County: 14,428 jobsOldham County14,428Clark County: 13,777 jobsClark County13,777Boyle County: 13,467 jobsBoyle County13,467Perry County: 12,338 jobsPerry County12,338Whitley County: 11,654 jobsWhitley County11,654Floyd County: 11,105 jobsFloyd County11,105Taylor County: 11,009 jobsTaylor County11,009Marshall County: 10,884 jobsMarshall County10,884Graves County: 10,770 jobsGraves County10,770Montgomery County: 10,709 jobsMontgomery County10,709Rowan County: 9,882 jobsRowan County9,882Muhlenberg County: 9,361 jobsMuhlenberg County9,361Mason County: 9,039 jobsMason County9,039Woodford County: 8,804 jobsWoodford County8,804Bell County: 8,631 jobsBell County8,631
jobs. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2014
jobs
Change on 2013
1Jefferson County440,249+2.1%
2Fayette County184,389+1.5%
3Boone County78,199+2%
4Kenton County63,535+1.5%
5Warren County60,044+2%
6Hardin County45,340+0.3%
7Daviess County44,390-0.3%
8McCracken County37,930+0.3%
9Madison County34,007+1.3%
10Christian County31,653+0.9%
11Franklin County31,492+3.3%
12Campbell County28,552+1%
13Boyd County25,958-0.1%
14Pulaski County25,220+0.7%
15Scott County24,507+6%
16Laurel County24,493+2.6%
17Pike County21,874-3.2%
18Bullitt County21,546+2.1%
19Henderson County19,841+2%
20Hopkins County17,746-1.8%
21Barren County16,316-2.3%
22Calloway County16,275+8.1%
23Jessamine County15,693+1%
24Shelby County15,015+2.7%
25Nelson County14,622+2.4%
26Oldham County14,428+3.1%
27Clark County13,777+8.4%
28Boyle County13,467-1.7%
29Perry County12,338-2.2%
30Whitley County11,654-3.4%
31Floyd County11,105+0.5%
32Taylor County11,009+3%
33Marshall County10,884+1.8%
34Graves County10,770-1.6%
35Montgomery County10,709-1.3%
36Rowan County9,882+0.1%
37Muhlenberg County9,361-0.7%
38Mason County9,039+4.6%
39Woodford County8,804+1.9%
40Bell County8,631-0.1%
41Simpson County8,617-0.6%
42Knox County8,389+5.9%
43Logan County8,227+2.3%
44Marion County7,912+3.2%
45Greenup County7,628-3.1%
46Grayson County7,506-0.3%
47Ohio County7,215-0.2%
48Harlan County6,750-7.5%
49Bourbon County6,665+0.8%
50Carroll County6,280-2.6%
51Mercer County6,217+1.4%
52Russell County5,778-3.7%
53Johnson County5,762+0.1%
54Union County5,732+2.2%
55Carter County5,595-1.9%
56Wayne County5,015-1.6%
57Grant County4,875+3.4%
58Hart County4,761+0.8%
59Adair County4,618-0.7%
60Harrison County4,608-2.7%
61Letcher County4,605-4.6%
62Anderson County4,384+0.4%
63Hancock County4,365-0.9%
64Meade County4,181+1.8%
65Caldwell County4,093-0.1%
66Allen County4,052-0.9%
67Lincoln County3,980-3.4%
68Clay County3,936+2.3%
69Clinton County3,856+1%
70Casey County3,616+1.5%
71Webster County3,532+13.5%
72Rockcastle County3,524+2.9%
73Breckinridge County3,455+3.5%
74Trigg County3,326-1.2%
75Washington County3,247+3.9%
76Lawrence County3,226-2.5%
77Breathitt County3,178-2.2%
78Fleming County3,048+1.4%
79Livingston County3,030+2.3%
80Monroe County2,996+1.3%
81Morgan County2,976-2.4%
82Butler County2,756-2.1%
83Martin County2,704-4.6%
84Henry County2,672-4.3%
85McCreary County2,646-2.1%
86Larue County2,619+1.6%
87Knott County2,557+1%
88Powell County2,518+3.6%
89Gallatin County2,450+3.7%
90Estill County2,348+1.9%
91Pendleton County2,317-0.1%
92Lyon County2,286+0.5%
93Todd County2,264+1.3%
94Fulton County2,254-2.8%
95Ballard County2,176-1%
96Garrard County2,112+1.4%
97Magoffin County2,014-3.1%
98Lewis County1,977+0.8%
99McLean County1,889-5%
100Crittenden County1,882-5.9%
101Spencer County1,812+2.6%
102Jackson County1,788-10%
103Metcalfe County1,765-2.4%
104Bath County1,757+1.9%
105Leslie County1,740-8.4%
106Green County1,711-3.2%
107Lee County1,709+0.6%
108Cumberland County1,658+3.1%
109Owen County1,655-1.3%
110Edmonson County1,505-3%
111Bracken County1,359-0.9%
112Wolfe County1,261+2.4%
113Hickman County1,084+2.4%
114Trimble County1,035+2.1%
115Carlisle County1,012+8.2%
116Elliott County881-0.8%
117Menifee County859-2.7%
118Nicholas County845-6.5%
119Owsley County650+0.6%
120Robertson County274-0.4%

Other periods

About this ranking

Average number of 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. 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.

Counts jobs, not people: someone with two jobs counts twice. 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. A count of employer reports, not a survey estimate like oews_employment.

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 employment, 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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Kentucky by covered employment (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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by covered employment (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/covered-employment/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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Kentucky by covered employment (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/covered-employment/kentucky-counties?period=2014.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by covered employment (QCEW), 2014 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by covered employment (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/covered-employment/kentucky-counties?period=2014. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, 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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by covered employment (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/covered-employment/kentucky-counties?period=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/kentucky-counties?period=2014.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, 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  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in Kentucky by covered employment (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"covered_employment","level":"province","within":"Kentucky","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=covered_employment&level=province&within=Kentucky&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Jefferson County, with 440,249 jobs in 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Robertson County, with 274 jobs 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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Covered employment (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings