Data / Rankings / Establishment entry rate / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by establishment entry rate

Nicholas County had the highest establishment entry rate of 117 counties in 2019, at 16.058%. Hancock County had the lowest, at 3.109%. The median was 7.825% and the figure for Kentucky was 8.121%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest16.058Nicholas County
Lowest3.109Hancock County
Median7.825117 counties
Kentucky8.121History

Map of counties, 2019

Adair County: 9.49 %Allen County: 6.604 %Anderson County: 7.825 %Ballard County: 7.438 %Barren County: 7.99 %Bath County: 6.78 %Bell County: 7.235 %Boone County: 7.765 %Bourbon County: 8.901 %Boyd County: 6.628 %Boyle County: 7.199 %Bracken County: 12.048 %Breathitt County: 7.186 %Breckinridge County: 10.338 %Bullitt County: 8.874 %Butler County: 7.692 %Caldwell County: 6.154 %Calloway County: 6.091 %Campbell County: 8.314 %Carlisle County: 10 %Carroll County: 8.571 %Carter County: 7.827 %Casey County: 8.374 %Christian County: 7.063 %Clark County: 8.857 %Clay County: 9.217 %Clinton County: 3.509 %Crittenden County: 7.692 %Cumberland County: 7.843 %Daviess County: 7.149 %Edmonson County: 11.518 %Elliott County: 12.5 %Estill County: 4.834 %Fayette County: 8.363 %Fleming County: 6.118 %Floyd County: 5.199 %Franklin County: 7.245 %Fulton County: 6.202 %Gallatin County: 9.091 %Garrard County: 13.098 %Grant County: 9.846 %Graves County: 6.683 %Grayson County: 4.902 %Green County: 11.806 %Greenup County: 8.193 %Hancock County: 3.109 %Hardin County: 8.988 %Harlan County: 7.307 %Harrison County: 8.35 %Hart County: 7.611 %Henderson County: 5.806 %Henry County: 8.889 %Hickman County: 4.511 %Hopkins County: 7.056 %Jackson County: 8.235 %Jefferson County: 9.012 %Jessamine County: 8.634 %Johnson County: 5.882 %Kenton County: 6.903 %Knott County: 7.213 %Knox County: 5.602 %Larue County: 9.302 %Laurel County: 7.78 %Lawrence County: 12.626 %Lee County: 7.527 %Leslie County: 10.582 %Letcher County: 8.2 %Lewis County: 5.217 %Lincoln County: 8.743 %Livingston County: 10.687 %Logan County: 6.995 %Lyon County: 8.307 %McCracken County: 8.045 %McCreary County: 6.04 %McLean County: 4.984 %Madison County: 10.45 %Magoffin County: 10.108 %Marion County: 7.178 %Marshall County: 8.223 %Martin County: 6.426 %Mason County: 6.219 %Meade County: 8.595 %Mercer County: 9.888 %Metcalfe County: 4.808 %Monroe County: 7.273 %Montgomery County: 7.871 %Morgan County: 6.944 %Muhlenberg County: 5.411 %Nelson County: 10.406 %Nicholas County: 16.058 %Ohio County: 8.26 %Oldham County: 8.921 %Owen County: 5.381 %Pendleton County: 9.272 %Perry County: 6.957 %Pike County: 5.606 %Powell County: 14.094 %Pulaski County: 8.121 %Rockcastle County: 5.747 %Rowan County: 9.358 %Russell County: 6.032 %Scott County: 9.086 %Shelby County: 6.445 %Simpson County: 6.906 %Spencer County: 13.437 %Taylor County: 9.125 %Todd County: 6.824 %Trigg County: 7.925 %Trimble County: 11.852 %Union County: 6.508 %Warren County: 8.311 %Washington County: 6.849 %Wayne County: 4.688 %Webster County: 6.283 %Whitley County: 7.473 %Wolfe County: 14.706 %Woodford County: 7.828 %
  • Under 6.1
  • 6.1 to 7
  • 7 to 7.8
  • 7.8 to 8.4
  • 8.4 to 9.7
  • 9.7 and over
  • No data
%, 2019. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2019

Nicholas County: 16.058 %Nicholas County16.058Wolfe County: 14.706 %Wolfe County14.706Powell County: 14.094 %Powell County14.094Spencer County: 13.437 %Spencer County13.437Garrard County: 13.098 %Garrard County13.098Lawrence County: 12.626 %Lawrence County12.626Elliott County: 12.5 %Elliott County12.5Bracken County: 12.048 %Bracken County12.048Trimble County: 11.852 %Trimble County11.852Green County: 11.806 %Green County11.806Edmonson County: 11.518 %Edmonson County11.518Livingston County: 10.687 %Livingston County10.687Leslie County: 10.582 %Leslie County10.582Madison County: 10.45 %Madison County10.45Nelson County: 10.406 %Nelson County10.406Breckinridge County: 10.338 %Breckinridge County10.338Magoffin County: 10.108 %Magoffin County10.108Carlisle County: 10 %Carlisle County10Mercer County: 9.888 %Mercer County9.888Grant County: 9.846 %Grant County9.846Adair County: 9.49 %Adair County9.49Rowan County: 9.358 %Rowan County9.358Larue County: 9.302 %Larue County9.302Pendleton County: 9.272 %Pendleton County9.272Clay County: 9.217 %Clay County9.217Taylor County: 9.125 %Taylor County9.125Gallatin County: 9.091 %Gallatin County9.091Scott County: 9.086 %Scott County9.086Jefferson County: 9.012 %Jefferson County9.012Hardin County: 8.988 %Hardin County8.988Oldham County: 8.921 %Oldham County8.921Bourbon County: 8.901 %Bourbon County8.901Henry County: 8.889 %Henry County8.889Bullitt County: 8.874 %Bullitt County8.874Clark County: 8.857 %Clark County8.857Lincoln County: 8.743 %Lincoln County8.743Jessamine County: 8.634 %Jessamine County8.634Meade County: 8.595 %Meade County8.595Carroll County: 8.571 %Carroll County8.571Casey County: 8.374 %Casey County8.374Nicholas County: 16.058 %Nicholas County16.058Wolfe County: 14.706 %Wolfe County14.706Powell County: 14.094 %Powell County14.094Spencer County: 13.437 %Spencer County13.437Garrard County: 13.098 %Garrard County13.098Lawrence County: 12.626 %Lawrence County12.626Elliott County: 12.5 %Elliott County12.5Bracken County: 12.048 %Bracken County12.048Trimble County: 11.852 %Trimble County11.852Green County: 11.806 %Green County11.806Edmonson County: 11.518 %Edmonson County11.518Livingston County: 10.687 %Livingston County10.687Leslie County: 10.582 %Leslie County10.582Madison County: 10.45 %Madison County10.45Nelson County: 10.406 %Nelson County10.406Breckinridge County: 10.338 %Breckinridge County10.338Magoffin County: 10.108 %Magoffin County10.108Carlisle County: 10 %Carlisle County10Mercer County: 9.888 %Mercer County9.888Grant County: 9.846 %Grant County9.846Adair County: 9.49 %Adair County9.49Rowan County: 9.358 %Rowan County9.358Larue County: 9.302 %Larue County9.302Pendleton County: 9.272 %Pendleton County9.272Clay County: 9.217 %Clay County9.217Taylor County: 9.125 %Taylor County9.125Gallatin County: 9.091 %Gallatin County9.091Scott County: 9.086 %Scott County9.086Jefferson County: 9.012 %Jefferson County9.012Hardin County: 8.988 %Hardin County8.988Oldham County: 8.921 %Oldham County8.921Bourbon County: 8.901 %Bourbon County8.901Henry County: 8.889 %Henry County8.889Bullitt County: 8.874 %Bullitt County8.874Clark County: 8.857 %Clark County8.857Lincoln County: 8.743 %Lincoln County8.743Jessamine County: 8.634 %Jessamine County8.634Meade County: 8.595 %Meade County8.595Carroll County: 8.571 %Carroll County8.571Casey County: 8.374 %Casey County8.374
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2019 (%)Change on 2018
1Nicholas County16.058+10.04 pts
2Wolfe County14.706-0.05 pts
3Powell County14.094+10.08 pts
4Spencer County13.437+0.87 pts
5Garrard County13.098+4.53 pts
6Lawrence County12.626+4.91 pts
7Elliott County12.50 pts
8Bracken County12.048+4.73 pts
9Trimble County11.852-6.47 pts
10Green County11.806+2.28 pts
11Edmonson County11.518+3.71 pts
12Livingston County10.687+6.23 pts
13Leslie County10.582+3.33 pts
14Madison County10.45+1.79 pts
15Nelson County10.406+3.09 pts
16Breckinridge County10.338+4.03 pts
17Magoffin County10.108-0.19 pts
18Carlisle County10-1.04 pts
19Mercer County9.888+0.3 pts
20Grant County9.846+1.11 pts
21Adair County9.49+1.91 pts
22Rowan County9.358+4.54 pts
23Larue County9.302+3.07 pts
24Pendleton County9.272+1.38 pts
25Clay County9.217+2.34 pts
26Taylor County9.125+2.62 pts
27Gallatin County9.091+2.5 pts
28Scott County9.086-0.26 pts
29Jefferson County9.012+1.01 pts
30Hardin County8.988+0.9 pts
31Oldham County8.921-1.09 pts
32Bourbon County8.901+2.29 pts
33Henry County8.889-0.99 pts
34Bullitt County8.874+0.75 pts
35Clark County8.857+2.63 pts
36Lincoln County8.743+3.35 pts
37Jessamine County8.634+0.66 pts
38Meade County8.595+2.26 pts
39Carroll County8.571+4.78 pts
40Casey County8.374-2.31 pts
41Fayette County8.363+0.43 pts
42Harrison County8.35+3.18 pts
43Campbell County8.314+1.57 pts
44Warren County8.311+1.31 pts
45Lyon County8.307-2.73 pts
46Ohio County8.26+0.81 pts
47Jackson County8.235n/a
48Marshall County8.223+0.45 pts
49Letcher County8.2+0.51 pts
50Greenup County8.193+1.04 pts
51Pulaski County8.121+1.37 pts
52McCracken County8.045+0.39 pts
53Barren County7.99+3.01 pts
54Trigg County7.925-1.04 pts
55Montgomery County7.871+1.25 pts
56Cumberland County7.843+1.01 pts
57Woodford County7.828-1.05 pts
58Carter County7.827+2.75 pts
59Anderson County7.825-0.01 pts
60Laurel County7.78+0.2 pts
61Boone County7.765-0.27 pts
62Butler County7.692+0.57 pts
62Crittenden County7.692+0.71 pts
64Hart County7.611+2.37 pts
65Lee County7.527+0.9 pts
66Whitley County7.473+0.49 pts
67Ballard County7.438+0.77 pts
68Harlan County7.307+0.04 pts
69Monroe County7.273+0.5 pts
70Franklin County7.245-0.19 pts
71Bell County7.235+1.24 pts
72Knott County7.213-0.02 pts
73Boyle County7.199+0.25 pts
74Breathitt County7.186+0.86 pts
75Marion County7.178-1.7 pts
76Daviess County7.149+0.02 pts
77Christian County7.063-0.35 pts
78Hopkins County7.056+0.28 pts
79Logan County6.995+0.97 pts
80Perry County6.957+3.32 pts
81Morgan County6.944+1.56 pts
82Simpson County6.906-0.59 pts
83Kenton County6.903-0.88 pts
84Washington County6.849+1.29 pts
85Todd County6.824-2.78 pts
86Bath County6.78-4.48 pts
87Graves County6.683+1.57 pts
88Boyd County6.628+0.32 pts
89Allen County6.604+0.23 pts
90Union County6.508+0.93 pts
91Shelby County6.445-2.57 pts
92Martin County6.426+2.55 pts
93Webster County6.283-3.44 pts
94Mason County6.219+0.22 pts
95Fulton County6.202+0.86 pts
96Caldwell County6.154-2.15 pts
97Fleming County6.118-3.21 pts
98Calloway County6.091-2.07 pts
99McCreary County6.04-1.13 pts
100Russell County6.032-0.28 pts
101Johnson County5.882-1.08 pts
102Henderson County5.806-0.62 pts
103Rockcastle County5.747+0.65 pts
104Pike County5.606-0.65 pts
105Knox County5.602-1.42 pts
106Muhlenberg County5.411-1.79 pts
107Owen County5.381+1.83 pts
108Lewis County5.217-0.82 pts
109Floyd County5.199-0.1 pts
110McLean County4.984-0.52 pts
111Grayson County4.902-2.09 pts
112Estill County4.834-3.12 pts
113Metcalfe County4.808-0.83 pts
114Wayne County4.688-0.37 pts
115Hickman County4.511-4.58 pts
116Clinton County3.509-1.63 pts
117Hancock County3.109+0.15 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Establishments that opened during the year (employees in March of the year and none a year earlier), as a percentage of the average number of establishments in the two years. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

An establishment is a single physical location, so a new branch of an existing firm counts as an entry: this is not the rate of new firms. Not comparable with enterprise_birth_rate, which counts new enterprises in Europe. 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 2019 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: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in Kentucky by establishment entry rate, 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Kentucky by establishment entry rate, 2019. 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/establishment-entry-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2019. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in Kentucky by establishment entry rate, 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-entry-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2019.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Kentucky by establishment entry rate, 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-entry-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_kentucky_by_2019,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Kentucky by establishment entry rate, 2019}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-entry-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2019. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Kentucky by establishment entry rate, 2019
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/establishment-entry-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-entry-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2019.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest establishment entry rate?

Nicholas County, with 16.058% in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment entry rate?

Hancock County, with 3.109% in 2019.

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: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12. 3 counties have no value for 2019 and are not ranked.

Establishment entry rate: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings