Data / Rankings / Establishment exit rate / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by establishment exit rate

Owsley County had the highest establishment exit rate of 119 counties in 2015, at 19.048%. Wayne County had the lowest, at 2.692%. The median was 7.805% and the figure for Kentucky was 7.842%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest19.048Owsley County
Lowest2.692Wayne County
Median7.805119 counties
Kentucky7.842History

Map of counties, 2015

Adair County: 6.908 %Allen County: 7.191 %Anderson County: 7.78 %Ballard County: 8.299 %Barren County: 6.027 %Bath County: 11.538 %Bell County: 6.304 %Boone County: 7.296 %Bourbon County: 10.028 %Boyd County: 6.985 %Boyle County: 10.037 %Bracken County: 12.121 %Breathitt County: 7.889 %Breckinridge County: 4.668 %Bullitt County: 7.924 %Butler County: 7.303 %Caldwell County: 5.243 %Calloway County: 12.452 %Campbell County: 7.725 %Carlisle County: 5.063 %Carroll County: 9.677 %Carter County: 6.402 %Casey County: 7.763 %Christian County: 8.257 %Clark County: 8.4 %Clay County: 6.074 %Clinton County: 7.756 %Crittenden County: 6.711 %Cumberland County: 4.854 %Daviess County: 6.298 %Edmonson County: 14.414 %Elliott County: 10.204 %Estill County: 6.154 %Fayette County: 8.352 %Fleming County: 8.962 %Floyd County: 8.758 %Franklin County: 6.989 %Fulton County: 11.94 %Gallatin County: 3.158 %Garrard County: 8.608 %Grant County: 8.048 %Graves County: 8.962 %Grayson County: 8.658 %Green County: 9.756 %Greenup County: 9.751 %Hancock County: 7.805 %Hardin County: 7.644 %Harlan County: 10.307 %Harrison County: 8.24 %Hart County: 8.284 %Henderson County: 6.925 %Henry County: 9.453 %Hickman County: 8.633 %Hopkins County: 7.016 %Jackson County: 10.227 %Jefferson County: 7.779 %Jessamine County: 7.1 %Johnson County: 8.594 %Kenton County: 8.389 %Knott County: 11.215 %Knox County: 6.376 %Larue County: 8.471 %Laurel County: 6.622 %Lawrence County: 10.798 %Lee County: 5.181 %Leslie County: 6.667 %Letcher County: 9.524 %Lewis County: 6.557 %Lincoln County: 6.932 %Livingston County: 10.072 %Logan County: 3.49 %Lyon County: 6.969 %McCracken County: 8.84 %McCreary County: 4.192 %McLean County: 6.25 %Madison County: 9.859 %Magoffin County: 10 %Marion County: 6.637 %Marshall County: 9.807 %Martin County: 4.167 %Mason County: 6.863 %Meade County: 7.815 %Menifee County: 9.524 %Mercer County: 8.434 %Metcalfe County: 9.346 %Monroe County: 9.845 %Montgomery County: 7.436 %Morgan County: 7.333 %Muhlenberg County: 7.266 %Nelson County: 5.989 %Nicholas County: 7.143 %Ohio County: 5.483 %Oldham County: 8.691 %Owen County: 8.929 %Owsley County: 19.048 %Pendleton County: 9.877 %Perry County: 9.418 %Pike County: 9.879 %Powell County: 10.494 %Pulaski County: 6.846 %Rockcastle County: 7.833 %Rowan County: 6.283 %Russell County: 7.736 %Scott County: 7.497 %Shelby County: 7.338 %Simpson County: 4.742 %Spencer County: 8.914 %Taylor County: 5.623 %Todd County: 8.672 %Trigg County: 4.651 %Trimble County: 8.392 %Union County: 9.256 %Warren County: 7.123 %Washington County: 4.948 %Wayne County: 2.692 %Webster County: 7.349 %Whitley County: 7.472 %Wolfe County: 12.598 %Woodford County: 9.889 %
  • Under 6.3
  • 6.3 to 7.1
  • 7.1 to 7.8
  • 7.8 to 8.7
  • 8.7 to 9.9
  • 9.9 and over
  • No data
%, 2015. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2015

Owsley County: 19.048 %Owsley County19.048Edmonson County: 14.414 %Edmonson County14.414Wolfe County: 12.598 %Wolfe County12.598Calloway County: 12.452 %Calloway County12.452Bracken County: 12.121 %Bracken County12.121Fulton County: 11.94 %Fulton County11.94Bath County: 11.538 %Bath County11.538Knott County: 11.215 %Knott County11.215Lawrence County: 10.798 %Lawrence County10.798Powell County: 10.494 %Powell County10.494Harlan County: 10.307 %Harlan County10.307Jackson County: 10.227 %Jackson County10.227Elliott County: 10.204 %Elliott County10.204Livingston County: 10.072 %Livingston County10.072Boyle County: 10.037 %Boyle County10.037Bourbon County: 10.028 %Bourbon County10.028Magoffin County: 10 %Magoffin County10Woodford County: 9.889 %Woodford County9.889Pike County: 9.879 %Pike County9.879Pendleton County: 9.877 %Pendleton County9.877Madison County: 9.859 %Madison County9.859Monroe County: 9.845 %Monroe County9.845Marshall County: 9.807 %Marshall County9.807Green County: 9.756 %Green County9.756Greenup County: 9.751 %Greenup County9.751Carroll County: 9.677 %Carroll County9.677Letcher County: 9.524 %Letcher County9.524Menifee County: 9.524 %Menifee County9.524Henry County: 9.453 %Henry County9.453Perry County: 9.418 %Perry County9.418Metcalfe County: 9.346 %Metcalfe County9.346Union County: 9.256 %Union County9.256Fleming County: 8.962 %Fleming County8.962Graves County: 8.962 %Graves County8.962Owen County: 8.929 %Owen County8.929Spencer County: 8.914 %Spencer County8.914McCracken County: 8.84 %McCracken County8.84Floyd County: 8.758 %Floyd County8.758Oldham County: 8.691 %Oldham County8.691Todd County: 8.672 %Todd County8.672Owsley County: 19.048 %Owsley County19.048Edmonson County: 14.414 %Edmonson County14.414Wolfe County: 12.598 %Wolfe County12.598Calloway County: 12.452 %Calloway County12.452Bracken County: 12.121 %Bracken County12.121Fulton County: 11.94 %Fulton County11.94Bath County: 11.538 %Bath County11.538Knott County: 11.215 %Knott County11.215Lawrence County: 10.798 %Lawrence County10.798Powell County: 10.494 %Powell County10.494Harlan County: 10.307 %Harlan County10.307Jackson County: 10.227 %Jackson County10.227Elliott County: 10.204 %Elliott County10.204Livingston County: 10.072 %Livingston County10.072Boyle County: 10.037 %Boyle County10.037Bourbon County: 10.028 %Bourbon County10.028Magoffin County: 10 %Magoffin County10Woodford County: 9.889 %Woodford County9.889Pike County: 9.879 %Pike County9.879Pendleton County: 9.877 %Pendleton County9.877Madison County: 9.859 %Madison County9.859Monroe County: 9.845 %Monroe County9.845Marshall County: 9.807 %Marshall County9.807Green County: 9.756 %Green County9.756Greenup County: 9.751 %Greenup County9.751Carroll County: 9.677 %Carroll County9.677Letcher County: 9.524 %Letcher County9.524Menifee County: 9.524 %Menifee County9.524Henry County: 9.453 %Henry County9.453Perry County: 9.418 %Perry County9.418Metcalfe County: 9.346 %Metcalfe County9.346Union County: 9.256 %Union County9.256Fleming County: 8.962 %Fleming County8.962Graves County: 8.962 %Graves County8.962Owen County: 8.929 %Owen County8.929Spencer County: 8.914 %Spencer County8.914McCracken County: 8.84 %McCracken County8.84Floyd County: 8.758 %Floyd County8.758Oldham County: 8.691 %Oldham County8.691Todd County: 8.672 %Todd County8.672
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015 (%)Change on 2014
1Owsley County19.048+9.52 pts
2Edmonson County14.414+4.5 pts
3Wolfe County12.598-1.25 pts
4Calloway County12.452+4.04 pts
5Bracken County12.121+0.56 pts
6Fulton County11.94+6.81 pts
7Bath County11.538+2.01 pts
8Knott County11.215+5 pts
9Lawrence County10.798-0.67 pts
10Powell County10.494+0.49 pts
11Harlan County10.307+0.63 pts
12Jackson County10.227-1.86 pts
13Elliott County10.204+10.2 pts
14Livingston County10.072-0.53 pts
15Boyle County10.037+3.9 pts
16Bourbon County10.028+3.55 pts
17Magoffin County10+2.9 pts
18Woodford County9.889+1.69 pts
19Pike County9.879+1.03 pts
20Pendleton County9.877+4.44 pts
21Madison County9.859-0.16 pts
22Monroe County9.845+3.11 pts
23Marshall County9.807+3.84 pts
24Green County9.756+2.04 pts
25Greenup County9.751+1.92 pts
26Carroll County9.677+4.03 pts
27Letcher County9.524-2.18 pts
27Menifee County9.524-0.09 pts
29Henry County9.453-2.25 pts
30Perry County9.418-0.23 pts
31Metcalfe County9.346+0.13 pts
32Union County9.256-0.14 pts
33Fleming County8.962+1.04 pts
33Graves County8.962+0.88 pts
35Owen County8.929+1 pts
36Spencer County8.914-0.15 pts
37McCracken County8.84+2.03 pts
38Floyd County8.758-1.31 pts
39Oldham County8.691-1.23 pts
40Todd County8.672+2.08 pts
41Grayson County8.658-0.9 pts
42Hickman County8.633-0.83 pts
43Garrard County8.608+1.2 pts
44Johnson County8.594-2.07 pts
45Larue County8.471-1.37 pts
46Mercer County8.434-1.36 pts
47Clark County8.4-0.39 pts
48Trimble County8.392-1.75 pts
49Kenton County8.389+1.14 pts
50Fayette County8.352-0.12 pts
51Ballard County8.299-3.18 pts
52Hart County8.284-2.26 pts
53Christian County8.257+0.97 pts
54Harrison County8.24+1.45 pts
55Grant County8.048-0.06 pts
56Bullitt County7.924+0.12 pts
57Breathitt County7.889-1.94 pts
58Rockcastle County7.833-0.29 pts
59Meade County7.815+1.81 pts
60Hancock County7.805+3.98 pts
61Anderson County7.78+0.87 pts
62Jefferson County7.779-0.1 pts
63Casey County7.763-2.21 pts
64Clinton County7.756-1.64 pts
65Russell County7.736+1.04 pts
66Campbell County7.725-0.28 pts
67Hardin County7.644-0.89 pts
68Scott County7.497+0.03 pts
69Whitley County7.472-0.41 pts
70Montgomery County7.436+2.37 pts
71Webster County7.349-0.52 pts
72Shelby County7.338-0.93 pts
73Morgan County7.333+1.98 pts
74Butler County7.303-3.46 pts
75Boone County7.296-0.31 pts
76Muhlenberg County7.266-2.03 pts
77Allen County7.191+2.1 pts
78Nicholas County7.143-1.31 pts
79Warren County7.123-0.65 pts
80Jessamine County7.1+0.06 pts
81Hopkins County7.016+0.11 pts
82Franklin County6.989-0.14 pts
83Boyd County6.985-1.14 pts
84Lyon County6.969-0.15 pts
85Lincoln County6.932-3.52 pts
86Henderson County6.925+0.67 pts
87Adair County6.908-2.88 pts
88Mason County6.863+0.09 pts
89Pulaski County6.846-3.72 pts
90Crittenden County6.711-3.81 pts
91Leslie County6.667-6.02 pts
92Marion County6.637-0.65 pts
93Laurel County6.622-1.63 pts
94Lewis County6.557+2.3 pts
95Carter County6.402+0.57 pts
96Knox County6.376-3.5 pts
97Bell County6.304-6.26 pts
98Daviess County6.298-1.29 pts
99Rowan County6.283+0.14 pts
100McLean County6.25+1.76 pts
101Estill County6.154-7.26 pts
102Clay County6.074-3.95 pts
103Barren County6.027-1.17 pts
104Nelson County5.989-1.28 pts
105Taylor County5.623-3.49 pts
106Ohio County5.483-1.61 pts
107Caldwell County5.243-2.36 pts
108Lee County5.181-3.15 pts
109Carlisle County5.063n/a
110Washington County4.948+0.28 pts
111Cumberland County4.854-6.52 pts
112Simpson County4.742-3.56 pts
113Breckinridge County4.668-2.57 pts
114Trigg County4.651-1.61 pts
115McCreary County4.192-3.58 pts
116Martin County4.167-2.22 pts
117Logan County3.49-4.04 pts
118Gallatin County3.158-5.35 pts
119Wayne County2.692-4.37 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

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

Counts closed locations, including branches of firms that keep operating elsewhere, so it is not a firm failure rate. Not comparable with enterprise_death_rate, which counts enterprise deaths 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. 1 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2015 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 exit 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 exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in Kentucky by establishment exit rate, 2015) [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 exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Kentucky by establishment exit rate, 2015. 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-exit-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in Kentucky by establishment exit rate, 2015. 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-exit-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Kentucky by establishment exit rate, 2015 [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-exit-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_kentucky_by_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Kentucky by establishment exit rate, 2015}},
  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-exit-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit 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 exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Kentucky by establishment exit rate, 2015
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-exit-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-exit-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit 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 exit rate?

Owsley County, with 19.048% in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment exit rate?

Wayne County, with 2.692% in 2015.

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 exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12. 1 counties have no value for 2015 and are not ranked.

Establishment exit rate: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings