Counties in Kentucky by employer firm births

Jefferson County had the highest employer firm births of 118 counties in 2014, at 876. Robertson County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 18 and the figure for Kentucky was 4,714. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Median18118 counties
Kentucky4,714History

Map of counties, 2014

Adair County: 22 countAllen County: 21 countAnderson County: 18 countBallard County: 8 countBarren County: 46 countBath County: 23 countBell County: 9 countBoone County: 119 countBourbon County: 24 countBoyd County: 58 countBoyle County: 31 countBracken County: 5 countBreathitt County: 35 countBreckinridge County: 34 countBullitt County: 73 countButler County: 15 countCaldwell County: 9 countCalloway County: 54 countCampbell County: 84 countCarlisle County: 4 countCarroll County: 11 countCarter County: 31 countCasey County: 21 countChristian County: 56 countClark County: 34 countClay County: 13 countClinton County: 11 countCrittenden County: 4 countCumberland County: 6 countDaviess County: 67 countEdmonson County: 13 countElliott County: 6 countEstill County: 13 countFayette County: 472 countFleming County: 11 countFloyd County: 75 countFranklin County: 46 countFulton County: 11 countGallatin County: 3 countGarrard County: 18 countGrant County: 17 countGraves County: 35 countGrayson County: 41 countGreen County: 14 countGreenup County: 35 countHardin County: 158 countHarlan County: 13 countHarrison County: 17 countHart County: 15 countHenderson County: 38 countHenry County: 12 countHickman County: 4 countHopkins County: 40 countJackson County: 3 countJefferson County: 876 countJessamine County: 64 countJohnson County: 24 countKenton County: 125 countKnott County: 7 countKnox County: 20 countLarue County: 17 countLaurel County: 40 countLawrence County: 15 countLee County: 6 countLeslie County: 8 countLetcher County: 12 countLewis County: 8 countLincoln County: 19 countLivingston County: 13 countLogan County: 26 countLyon County: 4 countMcCracken County: 84 countMcCreary County: 25 countMcLean County: 4 countMadison County: 103 countMagoffin County: 18 countMarion County: 23 countMarshall County: 37 countMartin County: 9 countMason County: 12 countMeade County: 30 countMenifee County: 4 countMercer County: 13 countMetcalfe County: 7 countMonroe County: 14 countMontgomery County: 30 countMorgan County: 3 countMuhlenberg County: 33 countNelson County: 63 countOhio County: 19 countOldham County: 73 countOwen County: 6 countOwsley County: 8 countPendleton County: 8 countPerry County: 30 countPike County: 63 countPowell County: 14 countPulaski County: 106 countRobertson County: 0 countRockcastle County: 4 countRowan County: 42 countRussell County: 27 countScott County: 49 countShelby County: 50 countSimpson County: 23 countSpencer County: 13 countTaylor County: 28 countTodd County: 11 countTrigg County: 11 countTrimble County: 4 countUnion County: 13 countWarren County: 194 countWashington County: 13 countWayne County: 16 countWebster County: 9 countWhitley County: 14 countWolfe County: 5 countWoodford County: 35 count
  • Under 8
  • 8 to 13
  • 13 to 18
  • 18 to 30
  • 30 to 52
  • 52 and over
  • No data
count, 2014. 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, 2014

Jefferson County: 876 countJefferson County876Fayette County: 472 countFayette County472Warren County: 194 countWarren County194Hardin County: 158 countHardin County158Kenton County: 125 countKenton County125Boone County: 119 countBoone County119Pulaski County: 106 countPulaski County106Madison County: 103 countMadison County103Campbell County: 84 countCampbell County84McCracken County: 84 countMcCracken County84Floyd County: 75 countFloyd County75Bullitt County: 73 countBullitt County73Oldham County: 73 countOldham County73Daviess County: 67 countDaviess County67Jessamine County: 64 countJessamine County64Nelson County: 63 countNelson County63Pike County: 63 countPike County63Boyd County: 58 countBoyd County58Christian County: 56 countChristian County56Calloway County: 54 countCalloway County54Shelby County: 50 countShelby County50Scott County: 49 countScott County49Barren County: 46 countBarren County46Franklin County: 46 countFranklin County46Rowan County: 42 countRowan County42Grayson County: 41 countGrayson County41Hopkins County: 40 countHopkins County40Laurel County: 40 countLaurel County40Henderson County: 38 countHenderson County38Marshall County: 37 countMarshall County37Breathitt County: 35 countBreathitt County35Graves County: 35 countGraves County35Greenup County: 35 countGreenup County35Woodford County: 35 countWoodford County35Breckinridge County: 34 countBreckinridge County34Clark County: 34 countClark County34Muhlenberg County: 33 countMuhlenberg County33Boyle County: 31 countBoyle County31Carter County: 31 countCarter County31Meade County: 30 countMeade County30Jefferson County: 876 countJefferson County876Fayette County: 472 countFayette County472Warren County: 194 countWarren County194Hardin County: 158 countHardin County158Kenton County: 125 countKenton County125Boone County: 119 countBoone County119Pulaski County: 106 countPulaski County106Madison County: 103 countMadison County103Campbell County: 84 countCampbell County84McCracken County: 84 countMcCracken County84Floyd County: 75 countFloyd County75Bullitt County: 73 countBullitt County73Oldham County: 73 countOldham County73Daviess County: 67 countDaviess County67Jessamine County: 64 countJessamine County64Nelson County: 63 countNelson County63Pike County: 63 countPike County63Boyd County: 58 countBoyd County58Christian County: 56 countChristian County56Calloway County: 54 countCalloway County54Shelby County: 50 countShelby County50Scott County: 49 countScott County49Barren County: 46 countBarren County46Franklin County: 46 countFranklin County46Rowan County: 42 countRowan County42Grayson County: 41 countGrayson County41Hopkins County: 40 countHopkins County40Laurel County: 40 countLaurel County40Henderson County: 38 countHenderson County38Marshall County: 37 countMarshall County37Breathitt County: 35 countBreathitt County35Graves County: 35 countGraves County35Greenup County: 35 countGreenup County35Woodford County: 35 countWoodford County35Breckinridge County: 34 countBreckinridge County34Clark County: 34 countClark County34Muhlenberg County: 33 countMuhlenberg County33Boyle County: 31 countBoyle County31Carter County: 31 countCarter County31Meade County: 30 countMeade County30
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

RankCounties2014
count
Change on 2013
1Jefferson County876+4.5%
2Fayette County472+10%
3Warren County194+7.8%
4Hardin County158+5.3%
5Kenton County125-12.6%
6Boone County119-9.2%
7Pulaski County106+17.8%
8Madison County103+8.4%
9Campbell County84+52.7%
9McCracken County84+7.7%
11Floyd County75+78.6%
12Bullitt County73+49%
12Oldham County73+2.8%
14Daviess County67-24.7%
15Jessamine County64-4.5%
16Nelson County63+18.9%
16Pike County63+8.6%
18Boyd County58-13.4%
19Christian County56+27.3%
20Calloway County54-10%
21Shelby County50+35.1%
22Scott County49+19.5%
23Barren County46+2.2%
23Franklin County46-14.8%
25Rowan County42+55.6%
26Grayson County41+41.4%
27Hopkins County40+25%
27Laurel County40-14.9%
29Henderson County38+11.8%
30Marshall County37+8.8%
31Breathitt County35+84.2%
31Graves County35-7.9%
31Greenup County35+66.7%
31Woodford County35+25%
35Breckinridge County34+209.1%
35Clark County34+3%
37Muhlenberg County33+94.1%
38Boyle County310%
38Carter County31+19.2%
40Meade County30-9.1%
40Montgomery County30+3.4%
40Perry County30+7.1%
43Taylor County28-12.5%
44Russell County27+50%
45Logan County26+8.3%
46McCreary County25+127.3%
47Bourbon County24+26.3%
47Johnson County24+14.3%
49Bath County23+187.5%
49Marion County23+15%
49Simpson County23+27.8%
52Adair County22+15.8%
53Allen County21+16.7%
53Casey County21-25%
55Knox County20-9.1%
56Lincoln County19-9.5%
56Ohio County19+90%
58Anderson County18+63.6%
58Garrard County18+12.5%
58Magoffin County18+20%
61Grant County17+88.9%
61Harrison County17+30.8%
61Larue County17+41.7%
64Wayne County16+128.6%
65Butler County15+36.4%
65Hart County15-40%
65Lawrence County15+66.7%
68Green County14+250%
68Monroe County14-6.7%
68Powell County14+7.7%
68Whitley County14-54.8%
72Clay County13+116.7%
72Edmonson County13+85.7%
72Estill County13+62.5%
72Harlan County13-58.1%
72Livingston County13+44.4%
72Mercer County13-40.9%
72Spencer County130%
72Union County13+18.2%
72Washington County13-13.3%
81Henry County12-14.3%
81Letcher County12-29.4%
81Mason County12-29.4%
84Carroll County11+83.3%
84Clinton County11+10%
84Fleming County110%
84Fulton County11+57.1%
84Todd County11-26.7%
84Trigg County11+37.5%
90Bell County9-62.5%
90Caldwell County9-35.7%
90Martin County9-10%
90Webster County9+50%
94Ballard County8+33.3%
94Leslie County8n/a
94Lewis County8+166.7%
94Owsley County8+166.7%
94Pendleton County80%
99Knott County7-41.7%
99Metcalfe County7-22.2%
101Cumberland County6+50%
101Elliott County6+20%
101Lee County6+20%
101Owen County6+100%
105Bracken County50%
105Wolfe County5-28.6%
107Carlisle County4-33.3%
107Crittenden County4-33.3%
107Hickman County40%
107Lyon County4-55.6%
107McLean County4-33.3%
107Menifee County4n/a
107Rockcastle County4-60%
107Trimble County4n/a
115Gallatin County3-66.7%
115Jackson County3-40%
115Morgan County3-50%
118Robertson 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. 2 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2014 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, 2014) [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, 2014. 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=2014. 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, 2014. 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=2014.

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, 2014 [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=2014 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_kentucky_by_2014,
  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, 2014}},
  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=2014. 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, 2014
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=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/kentucky-counties?period=2014.
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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Rank Counties in Kentucky by employer firm births using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firm births?

Jefferson County, with 876 in 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Robertson County, with 0 in 2014.

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. 2 counties have no value for 2014 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings