Data / Rankings / Employer firm births / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by employer firm births

Jefferson County had the highest employer firm births of 117 counties in 2013, at 838. Robertson County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 17 and the figure for Kentucky was 4,382. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest838Jefferson County
Lowest0Robertson County
Median17117 counties
Kentucky4,382History

Map of counties, 2013

Adair County: 19 countAllen County: 18 countAnderson County: 11 countBallard County: 6 countBarren County: 45 countBath County: 8 countBell County: 24 countBoone County: 131 countBourbon County: 19 countBoyd County: 67 countBoyle County: 31 countBracken County: 5 countBreathitt County: 19 countBreckinridge County: 11 countBullitt County: 49 countButler County: 11 countCaldwell County: 14 countCalloway County: 60 countCampbell County: 55 countCarlisle County: 6 countCarroll County: 6 countCarter County: 26 countCasey County: 28 countChristian County: 44 countClark County: 33 countClay County: 6 countClinton County: 10 countCrittenden County: 6 countCumberland County: 4 countDaviess County: 89 countEdmonson County: 7 countElliott County: 5 countEstill County: 8 countFayette County: 429 countFleming County: 11 countFloyd County: 42 countFranklin County: 54 countFulton County: 7 countGallatin County: 9 countGarrard County: 16 countGrant County: 9 countGraves County: 38 countGrayson County: 29 countGreen County: 4 countGreenup County: 21 countHancock County: 7 countHardin County: 150 countHarlan County: 31 countHarrison County: 13 countHart County: 25 countHenderson County: 34 countHenry County: 14 countHickman County: 4 countHopkins County: 32 countJackson County: 5 countJefferson County: 838 countJessamine County: 67 countJohnson County: 21 countKenton County: 143 countKnott County: 12 countKnox County: 22 countLarue County: 12 countLaurel County: 47 countLawrence County: 9 countLee County: 5 countLetcher County: 17 countLewis County: 3 countLincoln County: 21 countLivingston County: 9 countLogan County: 24 countLyon County: 9 countMcCracken County: 78 countMcCreary County: 11 countMcLean County: 6 countMadison County: 95 countMagoffin County: 15 countMarion County: 20 countMarshall County: 34 countMartin County: 10 countMason County: 17 countMeade County: 33 countMercer County: 22 countMetcalfe County: 9 countMonroe County: 15 countMontgomery County: 29 countMorgan County: 6 countMuhlenberg County: 17 countNelson County: 53 countNicholas County: 8 countOhio County: 10 countOldham County: 71 countOwen County: 3 countOwsley County: 3 countPendleton County: 8 countPerry County: 28 countPike County: 58 countPowell County: 13 countPulaski County: 90 countRobertson County: 0 countRockcastle County: 10 countRowan County: 27 countRussell County: 18 countScott County: 41 countShelby County: 37 countSimpson County: 18 countSpencer County: 13 countTaylor County: 32 countTodd County: 15 countTrigg County: 8 countUnion County: 11 countWarren County: 180 countWashington County: 15 countWayne County: 7 countWebster County: 6 countWhitley County: 31 countWolfe County: 7 countWoodford County: 28 count
  • Under 7
  • 7 to 11
  • 11 to 17
  • 17 to 28
  • 28 to 46
  • 46 and over
  • No data
count, 2013. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2013

Jefferson County: 838 countJefferson County838Fayette County: 429 countFayette County429Warren County: 180 countWarren County180Hardin County: 150 countHardin County150Kenton County: 143 countKenton County143Boone County: 131 countBoone County131Madison County: 95 countMadison County95Pulaski County: 90 countPulaski County90Daviess County: 89 countDaviess County89McCracken County: 78 countMcCracken County78Oldham County: 71 countOldham County71Boyd County: 67 countBoyd County67Jessamine County: 67 countJessamine County67Calloway County: 60 countCalloway County60Pike County: 58 countPike County58Campbell County: 55 countCampbell County55Franklin County: 54 countFranklin County54Nelson County: 53 countNelson County53Bullitt County: 49 countBullitt County49Laurel County: 47 countLaurel County47Barren County: 45 countBarren County45Christian County: 44 countChristian County44Floyd County: 42 countFloyd County42Scott County: 41 countScott County41Graves County: 38 countGraves County38Shelby County: 37 countShelby County37Henderson County: 34 countHenderson County34Marshall County: 34 countMarshall County34Clark County: 33 countClark County33Meade County: 33 countMeade County33Hopkins County: 32 countHopkins County32Taylor County: 32 countTaylor County32Boyle County: 31 countBoyle County31Harlan County: 31 countHarlan County31Whitley County: 31 countWhitley County31Grayson County: 29 countGrayson County29Montgomery County: 29 countMontgomery County29Casey County: 28 countCasey County28Perry County: 28 countPerry County28Woodford County: 28 countWoodford County28Jefferson County: 838 countJefferson County838Fayette County: 429 countFayette County429Warren County: 180 countWarren County180Hardin County: 150 countHardin County150Kenton County: 143 countKenton County143Boone County: 131 countBoone County131Madison County: 95 countMadison County95Pulaski County: 90 countPulaski County90Daviess County: 89 countDaviess County89McCracken County: 78 countMcCracken County78Oldham County: 71 countOldham County71Boyd County: 67 countBoyd County67Jessamine County: 67 countJessamine County67Calloway County: 60 countCalloway County60Pike County: 58 countPike County58Campbell County: 55 countCampbell County55Franklin County: 54 countFranklin County54Nelson County: 53 countNelson County53Bullitt County: 49 countBullitt County49Laurel County: 47 countLaurel County47Barren County: 45 countBarren County45Christian County: 44 countChristian County44Floyd County: 42 countFloyd County42Scott County: 41 countScott County41Graves County: 38 countGraves County38Shelby County: 37 countShelby County37Henderson County: 34 countHenderson County34Marshall County: 34 countMarshall County34Clark County: 33 countClark County33Meade County: 33 countMeade County33Hopkins County: 32 countHopkins County32Taylor County: 32 countTaylor County32Boyle County: 31 countBoyle County31Harlan County: 31 countHarlan County31Whitley County: 31 countWhitley County31Grayson County: 29 countGrayson County29Montgomery County: 29 countMontgomery County29Casey County: 28 countCasey County28Perry County: 28 countPerry County28Woodford County: 28 countWoodford County28
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. Retrieved 2026-10-22.

Full ranking

RankCounties2013
count		Change on 2012
1Jefferson County838-3.8%
2Fayette County429+10.3%
3Warren County180+31.4%
4Hardin County150+28.2%
5Kenton County143+12.6%
6Boone County131-5.8%
7Madison County95+23.4%
8Pulaski County90+80%
9Daviess County89+27.1%
10McCracken County78-8.2%
11Oldham County71+51.1%
12Boyd County67+48.9%
12Jessamine County67+31.4%
14Calloway County60+62.2%
15Pike County58-3.3%
16Campbell County55-36.8%
17Franklin County54+35%
18Nelson County53+47.2%
19Bullitt County49-12.5%
20Laurel County47+17.5%
21Barren County45+21.6%
22Christian County44+18.9%
23Floyd County42-12.5%
24Scott County41-19.6%
25Graves County38-7.3%
26Shelby County37-5.1%
27Henderson County34-19%
27Marshall County34+70%
29Clark County33-10.8%
29Meade County33+26.9%
31Hopkins County32-28.9%
31Taylor County32+6.7%
33Boyle County31-8.8%
33Harlan County31+181.8%
33Whitley County31+29.2%
36Grayson County29-12.1%
36Montgomery County29+70.6%
38Casey County28+250%
38Perry County28+33.3%
38Woodford County280%
41Rowan County27+35%
42Carter County26+62.5%
43Hart County25+56.3%
44Bell County24+14.3%
44Logan County24+140%
46Knox County22-4.3%
46Mercer County22-8.3%
48Greenup County21+31.3%
48Johnson County21+10.5%
48Lincoln County21+31.3%
51Marion County20+33.3%
52Adair County190%
52Bourbon County190%
52Breathitt County19+90%
55Allen County18+100%
55Russell County18-5.3%
55Simpson County18+80%
58Letcher County17+13.3%
58Mason County17+21.4%
58Muhlenberg County17-43.3%
61Garrard County16+60%
62Magoffin County15+114.3%
62Monroe County15+66.7%
62Todd County15+7.1%
62Washington County15+15.4%
66Caldwell County14+133.3%
66Henry County14+75%
68Harrison County13-7.1%
68Powell County13+116.7%
68Spencer County13-23.5%
71Knott County12+50%
71Larue County12-14.3%
73Anderson County11-52.2%
73Breckinridge County11-26.7%
73Butler County11+22.2%
73Fleming County11-8.3%
73McCreary County11+266.7%
73Union County11+22.2%
79Clinton County10+66.7%
79Martin County10+66.7%
79Ohio County10+11.1%
79Rockcastle County10-9.1%
83Gallatin County9+50%
83Grant County9-55%
83Lawrence County9-43.8%
83Livingston County9n/a
83Lyon County9+200%
83Metcalfe County90%
89Bath County80%
89Estill County8+14.3%
89Nicholas County8n/a
89Pendleton County8-27.3%
89Trigg County8-27.3%
94Edmonson County70%
94Fulton County7-22.2%
94Hancock County7n/a
94Wayne County7-36.4%
94Wolfe County7+40%
99Ballard County6-25%
99Carlisle County6+20%
99Carroll County6-45.5%
99Clay County6-60%
99Crittenden County60%
99McLean County6-14.3%
99Morgan County6-40%
99Webster County6+50%
107Bracken County5-16.7%
107Elliott County5n/a
107Jackson County5n/a
107Lee County5n/a
111Cumberland County4-33.3%
111Green County4-20%
111Hickman County4+33.3%
114Lewis County3-40%
114Owen County3-50%
114Owsley County3n/a
117Robertson County0n/a

Other periods

About this ranking

New employer firms: firms of age zero in March of the year, meaning that every establishment of the firm had its first employees during the previous twelve months. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics, which calls these firms startups.

A firm counts only when it has employees, so a business without staff is not a birth, and a new branch, merger or change of ownership of an existing firm is not a birth either. Not the same as business_applications (requests for an employer number) or enterprise_births (European business demography). The year is the twelve months to March: 2023 compares March 2022 with March 2023.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. 3 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2013 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-22.

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. Census Bureau. (2025). Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978 (Counties in Kentucky by employer firm births, 2013) [Data set]. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978, Counties in Kentucky by employer firm births, 2013. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/kentucky-counties?period=2013. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. Counties in Kentucky by employer firm births, 2013. Dataset. Accessed October 22, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/kentucky-counties?period=2013.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978, Counties in Kentucky by employer firm births, 2013 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/kentucky-counties?period=2013 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_kentucky_by_2013,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978: Counties in Kentucky by employer firm births, 2013}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-22},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/kentucky-counties?period=2013. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty\_fac.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-22.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978: Counties in Kentucky by employer firm births, 2013
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/09/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/kentucky-counties?period=2013
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/kentucky-counties?period=2013.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-22.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firm births?

Jefferson County, with 838 in 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Robertson County, with 0 in 2013.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. Retrieved 2026-10-22. 3 counties have no value for 2013 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings