Counties in Kentucky by employer firms

Jefferson County had the highest employer firms of 120 counties in 2013, at 13,506. Robertson County had the lowest, at 19. The median was 251 and the figure for Kentucky was 61,693. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest13,506Jefferson County
Median251120 counties
Kentucky61,693History

Map of counties, 2013

Adair County: 263 countAllen County: 191 countAnderson County: 290 countBallard County: 119 countBarren County: 722 countBath County: 112 countBell County: 440 countBoone County: 2,361 countBourbon County: 342 countBoyd County: 1,084 countBoyle County: 638 countBracken County: 86 countBreathitt County: 174 countBreckinridge County: 230 countBullitt County: 881 countButler County: 165 countCaldwell County: 249 countCalloway County: 743 countCampbell County: 1,315 countCarlisle County: 69 countCarroll County: 197 countCarter County: 331 countCasey County: 186 countChristian County: 1,067 countClark County: 643 countClay County: 207 countClinton County: 168 countCrittenden County: 148 countCumberland County: 104 countDaviess County: 1,817 countEdmonson County: 100 countElliott County: 41 countEstill County: 158 countFayette County: 6,399 countFleming County: 204 countFloyd County: 648 countFranklin County: 949 countFulton County: 126 countGallatin County: 94 countGarrard County: 179 countGrant County: 299 countGraves County: 594 countGrayson County: 409 countGreen County: 129 countGreenup County: 402 countHancock County: 99 countHardin County: 1,803 countHarlan County: 365 countHarrison County: 252 countHart County: 225 countHenderson County: 837 countHenry County: 184 countHickman County: 73 countHopkins County: 811 countJackson County: 92 countJefferson County: 13,506 countJessamine County: 914 countJohnson County: 364 countKenton County: 2,347 countKnott County: 149 countKnox County: 439 countLarue County: 203 countLaurel County: 948 countLawrence County: 204 countLee County: 90 countLeslie County: 95 countLetcher County: 269 countLewis County: 100 countLincoln County: 271 countLivingston County: 125 countLogan County: 419 countLyon County: 135 countMcCracken County: 1,717 countMcCreary County: 133 countMcLean County: 142 countMadison County: 1,335 countMagoffin County: 144 countMarion County: 308 countMarshall County: 572 countMartin County: 121 countMason County: 390 countMeade County: 310 countMenifee County: 50 countMercer County: 324 countMetcalfe County: 100 countMonroe County: 176 countMontgomery County: 471 countMorgan County: 137 countMuhlenberg County: 466 countNelson County: 783 countNicholas County: 69 countOhio County: 291 countOldham County: 966 countOwen County: 106 countOwsley County: 40 countPendleton County: 155 countPerry County: 520 countPike County: 1,057 countPowell County: 150 countPulaski County: 1,187 countRobertson County: 19 countRockcastle County: 171 countRowan County: 390 countRussell County: 318 countScott County: 734 countShelby County: 758 countSimpson County: 332 countSpencer County: 172 countTaylor County: 498 countTodd County: 168 countTrigg County: 199 countTrimble County: 66 countUnion County: 228 countWarren County: 2,278 countWashington County: 220 countWayne County: 241 countWebster County: 173 countWhitley County: 511 countWolfe County: 63 countWoodford County: 463 count
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 800
  • 800 and over
count, 2013. 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, 2013

Jefferson County: 13,506 countJefferson County13,506Fayette County: 6,399 countFayette County6,399Boone County: 2,361 countBoone County2,361Kenton County: 2,347 countKenton County2,347Warren County: 2,278 countWarren County2,278Daviess County: 1,817 countDaviess County1,817Hardin County: 1,803 countHardin County1,803McCracken County: 1,717 countMcCracken County1,717Madison County: 1,335 countMadison County1,335Campbell County: 1,315 countCampbell County1,315Pulaski County: 1,187 countPulaski County1,187Boyd County: 1,084 countBoyd County1,084Christian County: 1,067 countChristian County1,067Pike County: 1,057 countPike County1,057Oldham County: 966 countOldham County966Franklin County: 949 countFranklin County949Laurel County: 948 countLaurel County948Jessamine County: 914 countJessamine County914Bullitt County: 881 countBullitt County881Henderson County: 837 countHenderson County837Hopkins County: 811 countHopkins County811Nelson County: 783 countNelson County783Shelby County: 758 countShelby County758Calloway County: 743 countCalloway County743Scott County: 734 countScott County734Barren County: 722 countBarren County722Floyd County: 648 countFloyd County648Clark County: 643 countClark County643Boyle County: 638 countBoyle County638Graves County: 594 countGraves County594Marshall County: 572 countMarshall County572Perry County: 520 countPerry County520Whitley County: 511 countWhitley County511Taylor County: 498 countTaylor County498Montgomery County: 471 countMontgomery County471Muhlenberg County: 466 countMuhlenberg County466Woodford County: 463 countWoodford County463Bell County: 440 countBell County440Knox County: 439 countKnox County439Logan County: 419 countLogan County419Jefferson County: 13,506 countJefferson County13,506Fayette County: 6,399 countFayette County6,399Boone County: 2,361 countBoone County2,361Kenton County: 2,347 countKenton County2,347Warren County: 2,278 countWarren County2,278Daviess County: 1,817 countDaviess County1,817Hardin County: 1,803 countHardin County1,803McCracken County: 1,717 countMcCracken County1,717Madison County: 1,335 countMadison County1,335Campbell County: 1,315 countCampbell County1,315Pulaski County: 1,187 countPulaski County1,187Boyd County: 1,084 countBoyd County1,084Christian County: 1,067 countChristian County1,067Pike County: 1,057 countPike County1,057Oldham County: 966 countOldham County966Franklin County: 949 countFranklin County949Laurel County: 948 countLaurel County948Jessamine County: 914 countJessamine County914Bullitt County: 881 countBullitt County881Henderson County: 837 countHenderson County837Hopkins County: 811 countHopkins County811Nelson County: 783 countNelson County783Shelby County: 758 countShelby County758Calloway County: 743 countCalloway County743Scott County: 734 countScott County734Barren County: 722 countBarren County722Floyd County: 648 countFloyd County648Clark County: 643 countClark County643Boyle County: 638 countBoyle County638Graves County: 594 countGraves County594Marshall County: 572 countMarshall County572Perry County: 520 countPerry County520Whitley County: 511 countWhitley County511Taylor County: 498 countTaylor County498Montgomery County: 471 countMontgomery County471Muhlenberg County: 466 countMuhlenberg County466Woodford County: 463 countWoodford County463Bell County: 440 countBell County440Knox County: 439 countKnox County439Logan County: 419 countLogan County419
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankCounties2013
count
Change on 2012
1Jefferson County13,506-0.1%
2Fayette County6,399+2.1%
3Boone County2,3610%
4Kenton County2,347+0.8%
5Warren County2,278+2.9%
6Daviess County1,817+0.2%
7Hardin County1,803+3.4%
8McCracken County1,717-2.2%
9Madison County1,335+3.2%
10Campbell County1,315-3%
11Pulaski County1,187+2.3%
12Boyd County1,084+2.1%
13Christian County1,067-2%
14Pike County1,057-4.3%
15Oldham County966+1.5%
16Franklin County949-0.1%
17Laurel County948-1.5%
18Jessamine County914+2.5%
19Bullitt County881-0.2%
20Henderson County837-2.1%
21Hopkins County8110%
22Nelson County783+1%
23Shelby County758-0.9%
24Calloway County743+3.8%
25Scott County734-0.8%
26Barren County722+0.6%
27Floyd County648-2.4%
28Clark County643+1.7%
29Boyle County638-1.2%
30Graves County594-0.3%
31Marshall County572+1.6%
32Perry County520-2.1%
33Whitley County511+1%
34Taylor County498-1.8%
35Montgomery County471+2.8%
36Muhlenberg County466-1.1%
37Woodford County463+0.9%
38Bell County440-0.9%
39Knox County439+0.5%
40Logan County419-0.9%
41Grayson County409+3.5%
42Greenup County402-1%
43Mason County3900%
43Rowan County390+0.5%
45Harlan County365-1.1%
46Johnson County3640%
47Bourbon County342+1.2%
48Simpson County332+0.3%
49Carter County331+2.5%
50Mercer County324+1.9%
51Russell County318-0.3%
52Meade County310+1.6%
53Marion County308+1.7%
54Grant County299-5.4%
55Ohio County291-1.4%
56Anderson County290-4.3%
57Lincoln County271-1.5%
58Letcher County2690%
59Adair County263+0.4%
60Harrison County252+0.4%
61Caldwell County249+0.8%
62Wayne County241-3.2%
63Breckinridge County230-0.4%
64Union County2280%
65Hart County225+2.7%
66Washington County220+1.4%
67Clay County207-5.5%
68Fleming County204+3%
68Lawrence County204-2.4%
70Larue County203-1%
71Trigg County199-5.7%
72Carroll County197-4.4%
73Allen County191+3.2%
74Casey County186+6.9%
75Henry County184-2.1%
76Garrard County179+0.6%
77Monroe County176+2.9%
78Breathitt County174+1.8%
79Webster County173+1.2%
80Spencer County172+0.6%
81Rockcastle County171-2.8%
82Clinton County168-1.8%
82Todd County168+1.8%
84Butler County165+5.8%
85Estill County158+0.6%
86Pendleton County155+2%
87Powell County150+2.7%
88Knott County149-6.3%
89Crittenden County148+0.7%
90Magoffin County144+2.9%
91McLean County142-2.1%
92Morgan County137-6.8%
93Lyon County135+4.7%
94McCreary County133+3.1%
95Green County129-1.5%
96Fulton County126+2.4%
97Livingston County125+5.9%
98Martin County121-5.5%
99Ballard County119+2.6%
100Bath County112+0.9%
101Owen County106+1.9%
102Cumberland County104-2.8%
103Edmonson County100+1%
103Lewis County100-4.8%
103Metcalfe County100+6.4%
106Hancock County99+3.1%
107Leslie County95+1.1%
108Gallatin County940%
109Jackson County92+7%
110Lee County90+5.9%
111Bracken County86+3.6%
112Hickman County73-3.9%
113Carlisle County69+7.8%
113Nicholas County69+6.2%
115Trimble County66-10.8%
116Wolfe County63+6.8%
117Menifee County50-9.1%
118Elliott County41+2.5%
119Owsley County40+5.3%
120Robertson County19-13.6%

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, 2013) [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, 2013. 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=2013. 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, 2013. 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=2013.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2013 [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=2013 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_kentucky_by_2013,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2013}},
  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=2013. 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, 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.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2013
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2013.
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 13,506 in 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Robertson County, with 19 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: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Employer firms: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings