Counties in Kentucky by real GDP growth

Hickman County had the highest real GDP growth of 120 counties in 2021, at 20.9%. Leslie County had the lowest, at -8.4%. The median was 3.1% and the figure for Kentucky was 4.6%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Highest20.9Hickman County
Lowest-8.4Leslie County
Median3.1120 counties
Kentucky4.6History

Top 40 counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Hickman CountyHickman County: 20.9 %20.9Webster CountyWebster County: 20 %20McLean CountyMcLean County: 16.2 %16.2Meade CountyMeade County: 16 %16Grant CountyGrant County: 13.5 %13.5Fulton CountyFulton County: 12.7 %12.7Metcalfe CountyMetcalfe County: 12.7 %12.7Ballard CountyBallard County: 12.6 %12.6Carlisle CountyCarlisle County: 11.6 %11.6Todd CountyTodd County: 11.5 %11.5Nicholas CountyNicholas County: 10.6 %10.6Warren CountyWarren County: 9.9 %9.9McCracken CountyMcCracken County: 9.4 %9.4Breckinridge CountyBreckinridge County: 9.2 %9.2Caldwell CountyCaldwell County: 9.2 %9.2Letcher CountyLetcher County: 9.1 %9.1Washington CountyWashington County: 8.6 %8.6Owsley CountyOwsley County: 8.5 %8.5Wolfe CountyWolfe County: 8.4 %8.4Crittenden CountyCrittenden County: 8.3 %8.3Larue CountyLarue County: 8.1 %8.1Robertson CountyRobertson County: 8.1 %8.1Bracken CountyBracken County: 7.7 %7.7Harrison CountyHarrison County: 7.7 %7.7Allen CountyAllen County: 7.5 %7.5Nelson CountyNelson County: 7.4 %7.4Mercer CountyMercer County: 7.3 %7.3Bullitt CountyBullitt County: 6.9 %6.9Ohio CountyOhio County: 6.9 %6.9Trigg CountyTrigg County: 6.9 %6.9Oldham CountyOldham County: 6.5 %6.5Floyd CountyFloyd County: 6.3 %6.3Shelby CountyShelby County: 6.2 %6.2Marion CountyMarion County: 5.9 %5.9Kenton CountyKenton County: 5.8 %5.8Boyd CountyBoyd County: 5.7 %5.7Harlan CountyHarlan County: 5.6 %5.6Hardin CountyHardin County: 5.4 %5.4Pendleton CountyPendleton County: 5.4 %5.4Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 5.3 %5.3
%. Source: BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Hickman County20.9+38.6 pts
2Webster County20+47.2 pts
3McLean County16.2+41.5 pts
4Meade County16+14.7 pts
5Grant County13.5+17 pts
6Fulton County12.7+18 pts
6Metcalfe County12.7+16.2 pts
8Ballard County12.6+10.7 pts
9Carlisle County11.6+16.4 pts
10Todd County11.5+10.5 pts
11Nicholas County10.6+19.1 pts
12Warren County9.9+6.2 pts
13McCracken County9.4+11 pts
14Breckinridge County9.2+13.7 pts
14Caldwell County9.2+9.4 pts
16Letcher County9.1+16.4 pts
17Washington County8.6+13.4 pts
18Owsley County8.5+12.8 pts
19Wolfe County8.4+3.9 pts
20Crittenden County8.3+12.5 pts
21Larue County8.1+7.3 pts
21Robertson County8.1+6.4 pts
23Bracken County7.7+9 pts
23Harrison County7.7+13.5 pts
25Allen County7.5+15.2 pts
26Nelson County7.4+7.6 pts
27Mercer County7.3+12.9 pts
28Bullitt County6.9+5.3 pts
28Ohio County6.9+21.1 pts
28Trigg County6.9+13.5 pts
31Oldham County6.5+14.2 pts
32Floyd County6.3+16.2 pts
33Shelby County6.2+10.3 pts
34Marion County5.9+8.8 pts
35Kenton County5.8+2 pts
36Boyd County5.7+25.6 pts
37Harlan County5.6+14.2 pts
38Hardin County5.4+7.3 pts
38Pendleton County5.4+6.3 pts
40Montgomery County5.3+9.4 pts
41Graves County5+6.9 pts
41Pulaski County5+11 pts
43Jefferson County4.9+6.8 pts
43Woodford County4.9+12.2 pts
45Boone County4.7+4.4 pts
46Mason County4.6+5.3 pts
47Madison County4.5+8.8 pts
48Carroll County4.3+17.5 pts
48Whitley County4.3+7.4 pts
50Butler County4.2+7.7 pts
50Campbell County4.2+6.7 pts
50Hart County4.2+8.8 pts
50Hopkins County4.2+8.3 pts
50Owen County4.2+9.5 pts
55Fayette County3.9+7.6 pts
56Bourbon County3.7+13.5 pts
57Christian County3.6+2.4 pts
58Henry County3.5+10.2 pts
59Grayson County3.2+5.6 pts
59Lewis County3.2+7.2 pts
61Bell County3+8.2 pts
61Boyle County3+7.3 pts
63Edmonson County2.9+4.3 pts
64Laurel County2.8+2.1 pts
65Anderson County2.7+4.2 pts
65Franklin County2.7+3 pts
65Rowan County2.7+8.5 pts
65Simpson County2.7+7.5 pts
65Wayne County2.7+5.9 pts
70Clark County2.6+7.4 pts
70Fleming County2.6+0.5 pts
72Knox County2.5+6.7 pts
73Adair County2.1+2 pts
73Martin County2.1+22.2 pts
73Monroe County2.1+3.8 pts
76Estill County1.8+4.6 pts
76Green County1.8-5 pts
76Menifee County1.8+3 pts
76Morgan County1.8+6.9 pts
80Barren County1.7+6.5 pts
80Lincoln County1.7+4 pts
80Powell County1.7+2.1 pts
83Clinton County1.6-0.3 pts
84Garrard County1.5+5.7 pts
84Pike County1.5+9.3 pts
86Magoffin County1.4+10.5 pts
87Greenup County1.3+16.4 pts
87McCreary County1.3-1 pts
89Spencer County1.2-7.4 pts
90Breathitt County1.1+11.3 pts
90Scott County1.1+8.4 pts
92Perry County0.8+4.8 pts
93Henderson County0.7+2.3 pts
94Johnson County0.6+6.4 pts
94Livingston County0.6-9.3 pts
94Russell County0.6-1 pts
97Calloway County0.3+3.1 pts
97Casey County0.3-4.6 pts
97Clay County0.3-2.9 pts
100Carter County0-0.1 pts
101Jessamine County-0.2-0.5 pts
102Lee County-0.3+4.2 pts
103Bath County-0.6+6.1 pts
104Daviess County-0.8+0.3 pts
104Lawrence County-0.8+0.4 pts
104Logan County-0.8-0.8 pts
107Gallatin County-1.4-4.8 pts
108Elliott County-1.6+4.3 pts
109Trimble County-2-6.8 pts
110Lyon County-2.2-3.4 pts
111Cumberland County-2.4-5 pts
112Rockcastle County-2.5-2.3 pts
113Hancock County-3.2-3.8 pts
114Taylor County-3.8-3 pts
115Jackson County-3.9-5.4 pts
116Union County-4.2-18.2 pts
117Muhlenberg County-4.4+6.6 pts
118Marshall County-6.7-4.7 pts
119Knott County-8.1-8.1 pts
120Leslie County-8.4-2.3 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Annual percentage change of GDP in chain-linked volumes, or at constant prices in the World Bank series.

Each value comes from one official source for that place: national statistics offices, Eurostat, for the United States the Bureau of Economic Analysis or, for other countries and the World, the World Bank. Annual values compare one calendar year with the previous one; quarterly values compare a quarter with the same quarter a year earlier. Past values can be revised. United States figures come from BEA tables SAGDP11 for the nation and states and CAGDP11 for counties. Growth in small counties can swing widely from year to year.

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. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAGDP11: annual percent change in real GDP, all industry total, individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAGDP11.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest real GDP growth?

Hickman County, with 20.9% in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest real GDP growth?

Leslie County, with -8.4% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAGDP11: annual percent change in real GDP, all industry total, individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Real GDP growth: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings