Counties in Kentucky by employer firms

Jefferson County had the highest employer firms of 120 counties in 2012, at 13,523. Robertson County had the lowest, at 22. The median was 250 and the figure for Kentucky was 61,602. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest13,523Jefferson County
Median250120 counties
Kentucky61,602History

Map of counties, 2012

Adair County: 262 countAllen County: 185 countAnderson County: 303 countBallard County: 116 countBarren County: 718 countBath County: 111 countBell County: 444 countBoone County: 2,360 countBourbon County: 338 countBoyd County: 1,062 countBoyle County: 646 countBracken County: 83 countBreathitt County: 171 countBreckinridge County: 231 countBullitt County: 883 countButler County: 156 countCaldwell County: 247 countCalloway County: 716 countCampbell County: 1,355 countCarlisle County: 64 countCarroll County: 206 countCarter County: 323 countCasey County: 174 countChristian County: 1,089 countClark County: 632 countClay County: 219 countClinton County: 171 countCrittenden County: 147 countCumberland County: 107 countDaviess County: 1,813 countEdmonson County: 99 countElliott County: 40 countEstill County: 157 countFayette County: 6,268 countFleming County: 198 countFloyd County: 664 countFranklin County: 950 countFulton County: 123 countGallatin County: 94 countGarrard County: 178 countGrant County: 316 countGraves County: 596 countGrayson County: 395 countGreen County: 131 countGreenup County: 406 countHancock County: 96 countHardin County: 1,743 countHarlan County: 369 countHarrison County: 251 countHart County: 219 countHenderson County: 855 countHenry County: 188 countHickman County: 76 countHopkins County: 811 countJackson County: 86 countJefferson County: 13,523 countJessamine County: 892 countJohnson County: 364 countKenton County: 2,328 countKnott County: 159 countKnox County: 437 countLarue County: 205 countLaurel County: 962 countLawrence County: 209 countLee County: 85 countLeslie County: 94 countLetcher County: 269 countLewis County: 105 countLincoln County: 275 countLivingston County: 118 countLogan County: 423 countLyon County: 129 countMcCracken County: 1,755 countMcCreary County: 129 countMcLean County: 145 countMadison County: 1,294 countMagoffin County: 140 countMarion County: 303 countMarshall County: 563 countMartin County: 128 countMason County: 390 countMeade County: 305 countMenifee County: 55 countMercer County: 318 countMetcalfe County: 94 countMonroe County: 171 countMontgomery County: 458 countMorgan County: 147 countMuhlenberg County: 471 countNelson County: 775 countNicholas County: 65 countOhio County: 295 countOldham County: 952 countOwen County: 104 countOwsley County: 38 countPendleton County: 152 countPerry County: 531 countPike County: 1,104 countPowell County: 146 countPulaski County: 1,160 countRobertson County: 22 countRockcastle County: 176 countRowan County: 388 countRussell County: 319 countScott County: 740 countShelby County: 765 countSimpson County: 331 countSpencer County: 171 countTaylor County: 507 countTodd County: 165 countTrigg County: 211 countTrimble County: 74 countUnion County: 228 countWarren County: 2,213 countWashington County: 217 countWayne County: 249 countWebster County: 171 countWhitley County: 506 countWolfe County: 59 countWoodford County: 459 count
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 800
  • 800 and over
count, 2012. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2012

Jefferson County: 13,523 countJefferson County13,523Fayette County: 6,268 countFayette County6,268Boone County: 2,360 countBoone County2,360Kenton County: 2,328 countKenton County2,328Warren County: 2,213 countWarren County2,213Daviess County: 1,813 countDaviess County1,813McCracken County: 1,755 countMcCracken County1,755Hardin County: 1,743 countHardin County1,743Campbell County: 1,355 countCampbell County1,355Madison County: 1,294 countMadison County1,294Pulaski County: 1,160 countPulaski County1,160Pike County: 1,104 countPike County1,104Christian County: 1,089 countChristian County1,089Boyd County: 1,062 countBoyd County1,062Laurel County: 962 countLaurel County962Oldham County: 952 countOldham County952Franklin County: 950 countFranklin County950Jessamine County: 892 countJessamine County892Bullitt County: 883 countBullitt County883Henderson County: 855 countHenderson County855Hopkins County: 811 countHopkins County811Nelson County: 775 countNelson County775Shelby County: 765 countShelby County765Scott County: 740 countScott County740Barren County: 718 countBarren County718Calloway County: 716 countCalloway County716Floyd County: 664 countFloyd County664Boyle County: 646 countBoyle County646Clark County: 632 countClark County632Graves County: 596 countGraves County596Marshall County: 563 countMarshall County563Perry County: 531 countPerry County531Taylor County: 507 countTaylor County507Whitley County: 506 countWhitley County506Muhlenberg County: 471 countMuhlenberg County471Woodford County: 459 countWoodford County459Montgomery County: 458 countMontgomery County458Bell County: 444 countBell County444Knox County: 437 countKnox County437Logan County: 423 countLogan County423Jefferson County: 13,523 countJefferson County13,523Fayette County: 6,268 countFayette County6,268Boone County: 2,360 countBoone County2,360Kenton County: 2,328 countKenton County2,328Warren County: 2,213 countWarren County2,213Daviess County: 1,813 countDaviess County1,813McCracken County: 1,755 countMcCracken County1,755Hardin County: 1,743 countHardin County1,743Campbell County: 1,355 countCampbell County1,355Madison County: 1,294 countMadison County1,294Pulaski County: 1,160 countPulaski County1,160Pike County: 1,104 countPike County1,104Christian County: 1,089 countChristian County1,089Boyd County: 1,062 countBoyd County1,062Laurel County: 962 countLaurel County962Oldham County: 952 countOldham County952Franklin County: 950 countFranklin County950Jessamine County: 892 countJessamine County892Bullitt County: 883 countBullitt County883Henderson County: 855 countHenderson County855Hopkins County: 811 countHopkins County811Nelson County: 775 countNelson County775Shelby County: 765 countShelby County765Scott County: 740 countScott County740Barren County: 718 countBarren County718Calloway County: 716 countCalloway County716Floyd County: 664 countFloyd County664Boyle County: 646 countBoyle County646Clark County: 632 countClark County632Graves County: 596 countGraves County596Marshall County: 563 countMarshall County563Perry County: 531 countPerry County531Taylor County: 507 countTaylor County507Whitley County: 506 countWhitley County506Muhlenberg County: 471 countMuhlenberg County471Woodford County: 459 countWoodford County459Montgomery County: 458 countMontgomery County458Bell County: 444 countBell County444Knox County: 437 countKnox County437Logan County: 423 countLogan County423
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankCounties2012
count
Change on 2011
1Jefferson County13,523-0.4%
2Fayette County6,268+0.1%
3Boone County2,360+1.5%
4Kenton County2,328-0.7%
5Warren County2,213+1.2%
6Daviess County1,813-0.8%
7McCracken County1,7550%
8Hardin County1,743-1.2%
9Campbell County1,355+1.1%
10Madison County1,294+0.2%
11Pulaski County1,160-0.5%
12Pike County1,104+2.4%
13Christian County1,089-0.5%
14Boyd County1,062-0.9%
15Laurel County962-1.1%
16Oldham County952-2.2%
17Franklin County950-0.7%
18Jessamine County892-1.2%
19Bullitt County883-0.9%
20Henderson County855+1.2%
21Hopkins County811+2.8%
22Nelson County775-0.6%
23Shelby County765-0.4%
24Scott County740+2.1%
25Barren County718+2.3%
26Calloway County716-1.4%
27Floyd County664+0.2%
28Boyle County646+0.8%
29Clark County632+0.8%
30Graves County596+3.3%
31Marshall County563-0.2%
32Perry County531-1.8%
33Taylor County507+2.8%
34Whitley County506-3.4%
35Muhlenberg County471+1.7%
36Woodford County459+1.5%
37Montgomery County458-1.3%
38Bell County444-0.9%
39Knox County437-1.1%
40Logan County423-1.6%
41Greenup County406-1%
42Grayson County395+3.1%
43Mason County390-1%
44Rowan County388+1.3%
45Harlan County369-2.4%
46Johnson County364-0.3%
47Bourbon County338-0.9%
48Simpson County331-1.2%
49Carter County323-3.6%
50Russell County319-1.5%
51Mercer County318-0.3%
52Grant County316+1%
53Meade County305+5.5%
54Anderson County303+2.7%
54Marion County303+0.7%
56Ohio County295+0.3%
57Lincoln County275+1.5%
58Letcher County269-1.1%
59Adair County262-1.1%
60Harrison County251+2%
61Wayne County249-6.4%
62Caldwell County247-1.2%
63Breckinridge County231-0.4%
64Union County228+0.4%
65Clay County219+0.9%
65Hart County219+2.3%
67Washington County217-0.5%
68Trigg County211+1%
69Lawrence County209+2.5%
70Carroll County206-1.9%
71Larue County205+1%
72Fleming County198+2.1%
73Henry County188+0.5%
74Allen County185+4.5%
75Garrard County178-1.7%
76Rockcastle County1760%
77Casey County174-0.6%
78Breathitt County171-0.6%
78Clinton County171+3%
78Monroe County171-5.5%
78Spencer County171+1.8%
78Webster County171-3.4%
83Todd County165+7.1%
84Knott County159-3%
85Estill County157-1.9%
86Butler County156-0.6%
87Pendleton County152+3.4%
88Crittenden County147+4.3%
88Morgan County147+3.5%
90Powell County146+0.7%
91McLean County145+2.8%
92Magoffin County1400%
93Green County131+0.8%
94Lyon County129-5.8%
94McCreary County129-5.8%
96Martin County128+0.8%
97Fulton County123+1.7%
98Livingston County118-5.6%
99Ballard County116+0.9%
100Bath County111+2.8%
101Cumberland County107+1.9%
102Lewis County105-5.4%
103Owen County104-1.9%
104Edmonson County99-5.7%
105Hancock County96-1%
106Gallatin County94-3.1%
106Leslie County94+3.3%
106Metcalfe County94+4.4%
109Jackson County860%
110Lee County850%
111Bracken County83-1.2%
112Hickman County76+1.3%
113Trimble County74+1.4%
114Nicholas County65-8.5%
115Carlisle County64+6.7%
116Wolfe County59+5.4%
117Menifee County550%
118Elliott County400%
119Owsley County380%
120Robertson County22+10%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of firms in the private nonfarm sectors covered by the US Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics. Establishments under common ownership form one firm.

Excludes nonemployer businesses. Differs from active_companies, the INE DIRCE count, which includes businesses without employees.

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. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

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: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties (Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2012) [Data set]. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2012. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2012. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2012. Dataset. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2012.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2012 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2012 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_kentucky_by_2012,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2012}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-11},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2012. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2012
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.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2012
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2012.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firms?

Jefferson County, with 13,523 in 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Robertson County, with 22 in 2012.

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: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Employer firms: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings