Data / Rankings / Employer firm births / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by employer firm births

Jefferson County had the highest employer firm births of 116 counties in 2021, at 992. Robertson County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 14 and the figure for Kentucky was 4,086. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest992Jefferson County
Lowest0Robertson County
Median14116 counties
Kentucky4,086History

Map of counties, 2021

Adair County: 16 countAllen County: 10 countAnderson County: 16 countBallard County: 6 countBarren County: 34 countBath County: 14 countBell County: 15 countBoone County: 135 countBourbon County: 14 countBoyd County: 39 countBoyle County: 26 countBracken County: 4 countBreathitt County: 7 countBreckinridge County: 12 countBullitt County: 75 countButler County: 9 countCaldwell County: 6 countCalloway County: 44 countCampbell County: 78 countCarroll County: 6 countCarter County: 13 countCasey County: 14 countChristian County: 36 countClark County: 30 countClay County: 9 countClinton County: 5 countCrittenden County: 4 countDaviess County: 103 countEdmonson County: 6 countEstill County: 7 countFayette County: 436 countFleming County: 12 countFloyd County: 32 countFranklin County: 34 countFulton County: 4 countGallatin County: 4 countGarrard County: 21 countGrant County: 18 countGraves County: 37 countGrayson County: 20 countGreen County: 5 countGreenup County: 19 countHancock County: 8 countHardin County: 99 countHarlan County: 19 countHarrison County: 10 countHart County: 12 countHenderson County: 32 countHenry County: 11 countHickman County: 4 countHopkins County: 28 countJackson County: 10 countJefferson County: 992 countJessamine County: 74 countJohnson County: 17 countKenton County: 130 countKnott County: 5 countKnox County: 14 countLarue County: 7 countLaurel County: 49 countLawrence County: 12 countLee County: 0 countLeslie County: 5 countLetcher County: 8 countLewis County: 5 countLincoln County: 14 countLivingston County: 4 countLogan County: 18 countLyon County: 7 countMcCracken County: 78 countMcCreary County: 7 countMcLean County: 8 countMadison County: 78 countMagoffin County: 12 countMarion County: 15 countMarshall County: 30 countMartin County: 8 countMason County: 14 countMeade County: 23 countMercer County: 18 countMetcalfe County: 7 countMonroe County: 12 countMontgomery County: 29 countMorgan County: 10 countMuhlenberg County: 18 countNelson County: 49 countNicholas County: 4 countOhio County: 17 countOldham County: 87 countOwen County: 13 countOwsley County: 0 countPendleton County: 8 countPerry County: 24 countPike County: 39 countPowell County: 6 countPulaski County: 56 countRobertson County: 0 countRockcastle County: 7 countRowan County: 25 countRussell County: 15 countScott County: 47 countShelby County: 48 countSimpson County: 20 countSpencer County: 15 countTaylor County: 23 countTodd County: 8 countTrigg County: 10 countTrimble County: 3 countUnion County: 6 countWarren County: 112 countWashington County: 11 countWayne County: 6 countWebster County: 9 countWhitley County: 23 countWolfe County: 3 countWoodford County: 23 count
  • Under 6
  • 6 to 9
  • 9 to 14
  • 14 to 21
  • 21 to 39
  • 39 and over
  • No data
count, 2021. 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, 2021

Jefferson County: 992 countJefferson County992Fayette County: 436 countFayette County436Boone County: 135 countBoone County135Kenton County: 130 countKenton County130Warren County: 112 countWarren County112Daviess County: 103 countDaviess County103Hardin County: 99 countHardin County99Oldham County: 87 countOldham County87Campbell County: 78 countCampbell County78Madison County: 78 countMadison County78McCracken County: 78 countMcCracken County78Bullitt County: 75 countBullitt County75Jessamine County: 74 countJessamine County74Pulaski County: 56 countPulaski County56Laurel County: 49 countLaurel County49Nelson County: 49 countNelson County49Shelby County: 48 countShelby County48Scott County: 47 countScott County47Calloway County: 44 countCalloway County44Boyd County: 39 countBoyd County39Pike County: 39 countPike County39Graves County: 37 countGraves County37Christian County: 36 countChristian County36Barren County: 34 countBarren County34Franklin County: 34 countFranklin County34Floyd County: 32 countFloyd County32Henderson County: 32 countHenderson County32Clark County: 30 countClark County30Marshall County: 30 countMarshall County30Montgomery County: 29 countMontgomery County29Hopkins County: 28 countHopkins County28Boyle County: 26 countBoyle County26Rowan County: 25 countRowan County25Perry County: 24 countPerry County24Meade County: 23 countMeade County23Taylor County: 23 countTaylor County23Whitley County: 23 countWhitley County23Woodford County: 23 countWoodford County23Garrard County: 21 countGarrard County21Grayson County: 20 countGrayson County20Jefferson County: 992 countJefferson County992Fayette County: 436 countFayette County436Boone County: 135 countBoone County135Kenton County: 130 countKenton County130Warren County: 112 countWarren County112Daviess County: 103 countDaviess County103Hardin County: 99 countHardin County99Oldham County: 87 countOldham County87Campbell County: 78 countCampbell County78Madison County: 78 countMadison County78McCracken County: 78 countMcCracken County78Bullitt County: 75 countBullitt County75Jessamine County: 74 countJessamine County74Pulaski County: 56 countPulaski County56Laurel County: 49 countLaurel County49Nelson County: 49 countNelson County49Shelby County: 48 countShelby County48Scott County: 47 countScott County47Calloway County: 44 countCalloway County44Boyd County: 39 countBoyd County39Pike County: 39 countPike County39Graves County: 37 countGraves County37Christian County: 36 countChristian County36Barren County: 34 countBarren County34Franklin County: 34 countFranklin County34Floyd County: 32 countFloyd County32Henderson County: 32 countHenderson County32Clark County: 30 countClark County30Marshall County: 30 countMarshall County30Montgomery County: 29 countMontgomery County29Hopkins County: 28 countHopkins County28Boyle County: 26 countBoyle County26Rowan County: 25 countRowan County25Perry County: 24 countPerry County24Meade County: 23 countMeade County23Taylor County: 23 countTaylor County23Whitley County: 23 countWhitley County23Woodford County: 23 countWoodford County23Garrard County: 21 countGarrard County21Grayson County: 20 countGrayson County20
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

RankCounties2021
count		Change on 2020
1Jefferson County992+11.8%
2Fayette County436-4.4%
3Boone County135+6.3%
4Kenton County130-2.3%
5Warren County112-12.5%
6Daviess County103+13.2%
7Hardin County99+11.2%
8Oldham County87-12.1%
9Campbell County78-3.7%
9Madison County78-15.2%
9McCracken County780%
12Bullitt County75+33.9%
13Jessamine County74+8.8%
14Pulaski County56-3.4%
15Laurel County49+28.9%
15Nelson County49-9.3%
17Shelby County48+2.1%
18Scott County47-2.1%
19Calloway County44+51.7%
20Boyd County39-30.4%
20Pike County39-7.1%
22Graves County37+94.7%
23Christian County36-7.7%
24Barren County34-15%
24Franklin County34-30.6%
26Floyd County32+45.5%
26Henderson County32-11.1%
28Clark County30+3.4%
28Marshall County30-6.3%
30Montgomery County29+52.6%
31Hopkins County28-17.6%
32Boyle County26+8.3%
33Rowan County25-19.4%
34Perry County24+71.4%
35Meade County23+21.1%
35Taylor County23-20.7%
35Whitley County23+21.1%
35Woodford County23-17.9%
39Garrard County21+75%
40Grayson County20+17.6%
40Simpson County20+33.3%
42Greenup County19-26.9%
42Harlan County19+137.5%
44Grant County18-25%
44Logan County18+100%
44Mercer County18-5.3%
44Muhlenberg County18-21.7%
48Johnson County17+41.7%
48Ohio County17+41.7%
50Adair County16-27.3%
50Anderson County16+23.1%
52Bell County15+7.1%
52Marion County15-6.3%
52Russell County15+25%
52Spencer County15-6.3%
56Bath County14+180%
56Bourbon County14-12.5%
56Casey County14+40%
56Knox County14-30%
56Lincoln County14-22.2%
56Mason County14+27.3%
62Carter County13-23.5%
62Owen County13+62.5%
64Breckinridge County12-14.3%
64Fleming County12+33.3%
64Hart County12+20%
64Lawrence County12+50%
64Magoffin County12+71.4%
64Monroe County12+140%
70Henry County11-8.3%
70Washington County11+22.2%
72Allen County10-33.3%
72Harrison County10-16.7%
72Jackson County10+100%
72Morgan County10+150%
72Trigg County10+100%
77Butler County90%
77Clay County9+12.5%
77Webster County9-18.2%
80Hancock County8+60%
80Letcher County8-27.3%
80Martin County8+166.7%
80McLean County8+60%
80Pendleton County8-33.3%
80Todd County8n/a
86Breathitt County7+16.7%
86Estill County7+133.3%
86Larue County7-22.2%
86Lyon County7+75%
86McCreary County7-12.5%
86Metcalfe County70%
86Rockcastle County7-36.4%
93Ballard County6-50%
93Caldwell County6-50%
93Carroll County6-14.3%
93Edmonson County6-14.3%
93Powell County6-57.1%
93Union County6-14.3%
93Wayne County6-25%
100Clinton County5-37.5%
100Green County5-37.5%
100Knott County5-28.6%
100Leslie County5n/a
100Lewis County5-37.5%
105Bracken County4-20%
105Crittenden County4-42.9%
105Fulton County4n/a
105Gallatin County4-20%
105Hickman County4n/a
105Livingston County4-42.9%
105Nicholas County4n/a
112Trimble County3n/a
112Wolfe County3-50%
114Lee County0n/a
114Owsley County0n/a
114Robertson 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. 4 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2021 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, 2021) [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, 2021. 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=2021. 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, 2021. 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=2021.

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, 2021 [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=2021 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_kentucky_by_2021,
  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, 2021}},
  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=2021. 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, 2021
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=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/kentucky-counties?period=2021.
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 992 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Robertson County, with 0 in 2021.

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. 4 counties have no value for 2021 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings