Data / Rankings / Establishment exit rate / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by establishment exit rate

Wolfe County had the highest establishment exit rate of 118 counties in 2021, at 18.841%. Breckinridge County had the lowest, at 4.175%. The median was 8.376% and the figure for Kentucky was 8.713%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest18.841Wolfe County
Lowest4.175Breckinridge County
Median8.376118 counties
Kentucky8.713History

Map of counties, 2021

Adair County: 6.355 %Allen County: 7.675 %Anderson County: 8.724 %Ballard County: 4.615 %Barren County: 9.603 %Bath County: 4.959 %Bell County: 7.209 %Boone County: 9.027 %Bourbon County: 11.159 %Boyd County: 9.675 %Boyle County: 6.358 %Bracken County: 6.936 %Breathitt County: 7.947 %Breckinridge County: 4.175 %Bullitt County: 6.698 %Butler County: 8.772 %Caldwell County: 9.016 %Calloway County: 7.421 %Campbell County: 8.307 %Carlisle County: 6.289 %Carroll County: 8.654 %Carter County: 7.891 %Casey County: 11.881 %Christian County: 7.778 %Clark County: 9.332 %Clay County: 10.138 %Clinton County: 9.036 %Crittenden County: 12.057 %Cumberland County: 6.122 %Daviess County: 7.798 %Edmonson County: 7.216 %Elliott County: 16.438 %Estill County: 11.613 %Fayette County: 8.97 %Fleming County: 10.048 %Floyd County: 10.023 %Franklin County: 8.385 %Fulton County: 9.053 %Gallatin County: 6.667 %Garrard County: 11.794 %Grant County: 9.91 %Graves County: 8.137 %Grayson County: 7.426 %Green County: 11.333 %Greenup County: 11.07 %Hancock County: 6.03 %Hardin County: 7.276 %Harlan County: 12.086 %Harrison County: 11.67 %Hart County: 8.732 %Henderson County: 7.371 %Henry County: 9.278 %Hickman County: 9.16 %Hopkins County: 7.643 %Jackson County: 6.593 %Jefferson County: 9.511 %Jessamine County: 7.745 %Johnson County: 10.543 %Kenton County: 7.523 %Knott County: 8.814 %Knox County: 7.692 %Larue County: 6.17 %Laurel County: 7.797 %Lawrence County: 10.811 %Leslie County: 8.046 %Letcher County: 10.586 %Lewis County: 9.836 %Lincoln County: 11.152 %Livingston County: 14.559 %Logan County: 7.719 %Lyon County: 6.757 %McCracken County: 7.752 %McCreary County: 11.189 %McLean County: 6.623 %Madison County: 9.188 %Magoffin County: 10.256 %Marion County: 8.696 %Marshall County: 8.223 %Martin County: 8.621 %Mason County: 8.205 %Meade County: 7.862 %Menifee County: 6.122 %Mercer County: 9.888 %Metcalfe County: 7.477 %Monroe County: 7.467 %Montgomery County: 8 %Morgan County: 10.101 %Muhlenberg County: 8.351 %Nelson County: 8.398 %Nicholas County: 11.765 %Ohio County: 6.977 %Oldham County: 12.46 %Owen County: 10.48 %Owsley County: 10 %Pendleton County: 6.536 %Perry County: 9.728 %Pike County: 11.164 %Powell County: 4.416 %Pulaski County: 6.459 %Rockcastle County: 7.242 %Rowan County: 4.375 %Russell County: 7.166 %Scott County: 7.147 %Shelby County: 9.02 %Simpson County: 7.517 %Spencer County: 12.594 %Taylor County: 10.615 %Todd County: 7.865 %Trigg County: 9.068 %Trimble County: 4.511 %Union County: 6.167 %Warren County: 7.024 %Washington County: 11.009 %Wayne County: 8.367 %Webster County: 5.759 %Whitley County: 8.461 %Wolfe County: 18.841 %Woodford County: 10.588 %
  • Under 6.7
  • 6.7 to 7.7
  • 7.7 to 8.4
  • 8.4 to 9.3
  • 9.3 to 11
  • 11 and over
  • No data
%, 2021. 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, 2021

Wolfe County: 18.841 %Wolfe County18.841Elliott County: 16.438 %Elliott County16.438Livingston County: 14.559 %Livingston County14.559Spencer County: 12.594 %Spencer County12.594Oldham County: 12.46 %Oldham County12.46Harlan County: 12.086 %Harlan County12.086Crittenden County: 12.057 %Crittenden County12.057Casey County: 11.881 %Casey County11.881Garrard County: 11.794 %Garrard County11.794Nicholas County: 11.765 %Nicholas County11.765Harrison County: 11.67 %Harrison County11.67Estill County: 11.613 %Estill County11.613Green County: 11.333 %Green County11.333McCreary County: 11.189 %McCreary County11.189Pike County: 11.164 %Pike County11.164Bourbon County: 11.159 %Bourbon County11.159Lincoln County: 11.152 %Lincoln County11.152Greenup County: 11.07 %Greenup County11.07Washington County: 11.009 %Washington County11.009Lawrence County: 10.811 %Lawrence County10.811Taylor County: 10.615 %Taylor County10.615Woodford County: 10.588 %Woodford County10.588Letcher County: 10.586 %Letcher County10.586Johnson County: 10.543 %Johnson County10.543Owen County: 10.48 %Owen County10.48Magoffin County: 10.256 %Magoffin County10.256Clay County: 10.138 %Clay County10.138Morgan County: 10.101 %Morgan County10.101Fleming County: 10.048 %Fleming County10.048Floyd County: 10.023 %Floyd County10.023Owsley County: 10 %Owsley County10Grant County: 9.91 %Grant County9.91Mercer County: 9.888 %Mercer County9.888Lewis County: 9.836 %Lewis County9.836Perry County: 9.728 %Perry County9.728Boyd County: 9.675 %Boyd County9.675Barren County: 9.603 %Barren County9.603Jefferson County: 9.511 %Jefferson County9.511Clark County: 9.332 %Clark County9.332Henry County: 9.278 %Henry County9.278Wolfe County: 18.841 %Wolfe County18.841Elliott County: 16.438 %Elliott County16.438Livingston County: 14.559 %Livingston County14.559Spencer County: 12.594 %Spencer County12.594Oldham County: 12.46 %Oldham County12.46Harlan County: 12.086 %Harlan County12.086Crittenden County: 12.057 %Crittenden County12.057Casey County: 11.881 %Casey County11.881Garrard County: 11.794 %Garrard County11.794Nicholas County: 11.765 %Nicholas County11.765Harrison County: 11.67 %Harrison County11.67Estill County: 11.613 %Estill County11.613Green County: 11.333 %Green County11.333McCreary County: 11.189 %McCreary County11.189Pike County: 11.164 %Pike County11.164Bourbon County: 11.159 %Bourbon County11.159Lincoln County: 11.152 %Lincoln County11.152Greenup County: 11.07 %Greenup County11.07Washington County: 11.009 %Washington County11.009Lawrence County: 10.811 %Lawrence County10.811Taylor County: 10.615 %Taylor County10.615Woodford County: 10.588 %Woodford County10.588Letcher County: 10.586 %Letcher County10.586Johnson County: 10.543 %Johnson County10.543Owen County: 10.48 %Owen County10.48Magoffin County: 10.256 %Magoffin County10.256Clay County: 10.138 %Clay County10.138Morgan County: 10.101 %Morgan County10.101Fleming County: 10.048 %Fleming County10.048Floyd County: 10.023 %Floyd County10.023Owsley County: 10 %Owsley County10Grant County: 9.91 %Grant County9.91Mercer County: 9.888 %Mercer County9.888Lewis County: 9.836 %Lewis County9.836Perry County: 9.728 %Perry County9.728Boyd County: 9.675 %Boyd County9.675Barren County: 9.603 %Barren County9.603Jefferson County: 9.511 %Jefferson County9.511Clark County: 9.332 %Clark County9.332Henry County: 9.278 %Henry County9.278
%. 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

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Wolfe County18.841+11.9 pts
2Elliott County16.438+3.62 pts
3Livingston County14.559+7.01 pts
4Spencer County12.594+2.49 pts
5Oldham County12.46+2.04 pts
6Harlan County12.086+1.37 pts
7Crittenden County12.057-1.32 pts
8Casey County11.881+5.48 pts
9Garrard County11.794+4.81 pts
10Nicholas County11.765+6.05 pts
11Harrison County11.67+4.99 pts
12Estill County11.613+3.54 pts
13Green County11.333+5.37 pts
14McCreary County11.189-0.49 pts
15Pike County11.164+1.95 pts
16Bourbon County11.159+2.79 pts
17Lincoln County11.152+1.26 pts
18Greenup County11.07+3.29 pts
19Washington County11.009+4.69 pts
20Lawrence County10.811+3.48 pts
21Taylor County10.615+3.94 pts
22Woodford County10.588+1.72 pts
23Letcher County10.586+0.31 pts
24Johnson County10.543+2.66 pts
25Owen County10.48-0.28 pts
26Magoffin County10.256-1.38 pts
27Clay County10.138+3.76 pts
28Morgan County10.101+5.27 pts
29Fleming County10.048+4.31 pts
30Floyd County10.023-0.63 pts
31Owsley County10n/a
32Grant County9.91+2.6 pts
33Mercer County9.888+0.97 pts
34Lewis County9.836+5.65 pts
35Perry County9.728+1.39 pts
36Boyd County9.675+1.95 pts
37Barren County9.603+3.21 pts
38Jefferson County9.511+1.47 pts
39Clark County9.332+0.28 pts
40Henry County9.278-1.92 pts
41Madison County9.188-0.37 pts
42Hickman County9.16-1.37 pts
43Trigg County9.068-3.97 pts
44Fulton County9.053+1.15 pts
45Clinton County9.036+1.91 pts
46Boone County9.027+0.71 pts
47Shelby County9.02+1.14 pts
48Caldwell County9.016-4.76 pts
49Fayette County8.97+1.08 pts
50Knott County8.814-3.27 pts
51Butler County8.772+1.19 pts
52Hart County8.732+3.29 pts
53Anderson County8.724-0.81 pts
54Marion County8.696+3.83 pts
55Carroll County8.654+2.54 pts
56Martin County8.621-3.05 pts
57Whitley County8.461+0.8 pts
58Nelson County8.398+1.43 pts
59Franklin County8.385+1.68 pts
60Wayne County8.367+3.27 pts
61Muhlenberg County8.351-4.31 pts
62Campbell County8.307+0.27 pts
63Marshall County8.223-0.26 pts
64Mason County8.205+1.17 pts
65Graves County8.137+1.58 pts
66Leslie County8.046-1.84 pts
67Montgomery County8-0.06 pts
68Breathitt County7.947-6.56 pts
69Carter County7.891-0.18 pts
70Todd County7.865-1.94 pts
71Meade County7.862+1.72 pts
72Daviess County7.798+0.27 pts
73Laurel County7.797-1.04 pts
74Christian County7.778-1.15 pts
75McCracken County7.752-1.2 pts
76Jessamine County7.745+0.46 pts
77Logan County7.719+0.43 pts
78Knox County7.692+1.86 pts
79Allen County7.675-0.18 pts
80Hopkins County7.643-2.69 pts
81Kenton County7.523-0.18 pts
82Simpson County7.517-1.87 pts
83Metcalfe County7.477+1.76 pts
84Monroe County7.467-0.41 pts
85Grayson County7.426+0.22 pts
86Calloway County7.421+0.53 pts
87Henderson County7.371-1.14 pts
88Hardin County7.276+0.22 pts
89Rockcastle County7.242+0.96 pts
90Edmonson County7.216-5.28 pts
91Bell County7.209+1.38 pts
92Russell County7.166-0.9 pts
93Scott County7.147+0.32 pts
94Warren County7.024-0.35 pts
95Ohio County6.977-0.4 pts
96Bracken County6.936-1.16 pts
97Lyon County6.757-5.74 pts
98Bullitt County6.698-3.67 pts
99Gallatin County6.667+2.17 pts
100McLean County6.623-3.15 pts
101Jackson County6.593n/a
102Pendleton County6.536-3.99 pts
103Pulaski County6.459-0.79 pts
104Boyle County6.358-0.86 pts
105Adair County6.355-1.44 pts
106Carlisle County6.2890 pts
107Larue County6.17-3.13 pts
108Union County6.167+0.08 pts
109Cumberland County6.122-0.81 pts
109Menifee County6.122n/a
111Hancock County6.03-0.22 pts
112Webster County5.759-0.06 pts
113Bath County4.959-4.44 pts
114Ballard County4.615-6.72 pts
115Trimble County4.511-4.44 pts
116Powell County4.416-3.38 pts
117Rowan County4.375-4.9 pts
118Breckinridge County4.175-2.9 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. 2 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: 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, 2021) [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, 2021. 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=2021. 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, 2021. 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=2021.

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, 2021 [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=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_kentucky_by_2021,
  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, 2021}},
  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=2021. 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, 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.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-exit-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-exit-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2021.
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?

Wolfe County, with 18.841% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment exit rate?

Breckinridge County, with 4.175% 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: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12. 2 counties have no value for 2021 and are not ranked.

Establishment exit rate: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings