Data / Rankings / Job creation rate / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by job creation rate

Bath County had the highest job creation rate of 120 counties in 2016, at 36.676%. Gallatin County had the lowest, at 3.89%. The median was 11.044% and the figure for Kentucky was 11.927%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest36.676Bath County
Lowest3.89Gallatin County
Median11.044120 counties
Kentucky11.927History

Map of counties, 2016

Adair County: 12.577 %Allen County: 14.431 %Anderson County: 11.034 %Ballard County: 5.89 %Barren County: 9.965 %Bath County: 36.676 %Bell County: 10.254 %Boone County: 13.517 %Bourbon County: 9.983 %Boyd County: 10.093 %Boyle County: 8.689 %Bracken County: 14.316 %Breathitt County: 19.574 %Breckinridge County: 10.176 %Bullitt County: 11.749 %Butler County: 8.344 %Caldwell County: 12.214 %Calloway County: 9.17 %Campbell County: 11.912 %Carlisle County: 11.841 %Carroll County: 5.878 %Carter County: 7.924 %Casey County: 7.358 %Christian County: 12.593 %Clark County: 10.478 %Clay County: 8.167 %Clinton County: 12.677 %Crittenden County: 25.053 %Cumberland County: 6.38 %Daviess County: 10.941 %Edmonson County: 14.916 %Elliott County: 9.913 %Estill County: 15.348 %Fayette County: 11.179 %Fleming County: 9.786 %Floyd County: 13.442 %Franklin County: 10.278 %Fulton County: 14.472 %Gallatin County: 3.89 %Garrard County: 17.5 %Grant County: 16.098 %Graves County: 8.672 %Grayson County: 13.123 %Green County: 7.428 %Greenup County: 9.48 %Hancock County: 13.849 %Hardin County: 11.734 %Harlan County: 8.743 %Harrison County: 9.88 %Hart County: 13.662 %Henderson County: 9.056 %Henry County: 12.245 %Hickman County: 6.905 %Hopkins County: 11.182 %Jackson County: 6.528 %Jefferson County: 12.09 %Jessamine County: 12.071 %Johnson County: 10.539 %Kenton County: 12.726 %Knott County: 15.201 %Knox County: 12.241 %Larue County: 9.603 %Laurel County: 9.066 %Lawrence County: 18.388 %Lee County: 6.057 %Leslie County: 12.205 %Letcher County: 8.399 %Lewis County: 18.282 %Lincoln County: 18.784 %Livingston County: 8.04 %Logan County: 27.508 %Lyon County: 16.964 %McCracken County: 11.053 %McCreary County: 16.944 %McLean County: 17.378 %Madison County: 11.063 %Magoffin County: 8.656 %Marion County: 9.676 %Marshall County: 13.38 %Martin County: 9.772 %Mason County: 5.748 %Meade County: 8.741 %Menifee County: 8.298 %Mercer County: 6.314 %Metcalfe County: 10.208 %Monroe County: 12.063 %Montgomery County: 10.997 %Morgan County: 12.763 %Muhlenberg County: 19.258 %Nelson County: 9.21 %Nicholas County: 8.409 %Ohio County: 6.631 %Oldham County: 15.512 %Owen County: 13.093 %Owsley County: 14.964 %Pendleton County: 7.931 %Perry County: 10.107 %Pike County: 8.743 %Powell County: 9.57 %Pulaski County: 10.723 %Robertson County: 5.333 %Rockcastle County: 14.392 %Rowan County: 14.546 %Russell County: 12.309 %Scott County: 11.9 %Shelby County: 13.24 %Simpson County: 8.363 %Spencer County: 10.165 %Taylor County: 8.796 %Todd County: 19.387 %Trigg County: 10.112 %Trimble County: 10.441 %Union County: 7.024 %Warren County: 11.784 %Washington County: 7.28 %Wayne County: 18.829 %Webster County: 13.887 %Whitley County: 13.991 %Wolfe County: 13.147 %Woodford County: 14.164 %
  • Under 8.3
  • 8.3 to 9.8
  • 9.8 to 11
  • 11 to 13
  • 13 to 15
  • 15 and over
%, 2016. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

Bath County: 36.676 %Bath County36.676Logan County: 27.508 %Logan County27.508Crittenden County: 25.053 %Crittenden County25.053Breathitt County: 19.574 %Breathitt County19.574Todd County: 19.387 %Todd County19.387Muhlenberg County: 19.258 %Muhlenberg County19.258Wayne County: 18.829 %Wayne County18.829Lincoln County: 18.784 %Lincoln County18.784Lawrence County: 18.388 %Lawrence County18.388Lewis County: 18.282 %Lewis County18.282Garrard County: 17.5 %Garrard County17.5McLean County: 17.378 %McLean County17.378Lyon County: 16.964 %Lyon County16.964McCreary County: 16.944 %McCreary County16.944Grant County: 16.098 %Grant County16.098Oldham County: 15.512 %Oldham County15.512Estill County: 15.348 %Estill County15.348Knott County: 15.201 %Knott County15.201Owsley County: 14.964 %Owsley County14.964Edmonson County: 14.916 %Edmonson County14.916Rowan County: 14.546 %Rowan County14.546Fulton County: 14.472 %Fulton County14.472Allen County: 14.431 %Allen County14.431Rockcastle County: 14.392 %Rockcastle County14.392Bracken County: 14.316 %Bracken County14.316Woodford County: 14.164 %Woodford County14.164Whitley County: 13.991 %Whitley County13.991Webster County: 13.887 %Webster County13.887Hancock County: 13.849 %Hancock County13.849Hart County: 13.662 %Hart County13.662Boone County: 13.517 %Boone County13.517Floyd County: 13.442 %Floyd County13.442Marshall County: 13.38 %Marshall County13.38Shelby County: 13.24 %Shelby County13.24Wolfe County: 13.147 %Wolfe County13.147Grayson County: 13.123 %Grayson County13.123Owen County: 13.093 %Owen County13.093Morgan County: 12.763 %Morgan County12.763Kenton County: 12.726 %Kenton County12.726Clinton County: 12.677 %Clinton County12.677Bath County: 36.676 %Bath County36.676Logan County: 27.508 %Logan County27.508Crittenden County: 25.053 %Crittenden County25.053Breathitt County: 19.574 %Breathitt County19.574Todd County: 19.387 %Todd County19.387Muhlenberg County: 19.258 %Muhlenberg County19.258Wayne County: 18.829 %Wayne County18.829Lincoln County: 18.784 %Lincoln County18.784Lawrence County: 18.388 %Lawrence County18.388Lewis County: 18.282 %Lewis County18.282Garrard County: 17.5 %Garrard County17.5McLean County: 17.378 %McLean County17.378Lyon County: 16.964 %Lyon County16.964McCreary County: 16.944 %McCreary County16.944Grant County: 16.098 %Grant County16.098Oldham County: 15.512 %Oldham County15.512Estill County: 15.348 %Estill County15.348Knott County: 15.201 %Knott County15.201Owsley County: 14.964 %Owsley County14.964Edmonson County: 14.916 %Edmonson County14.916Rowan County: 14.546 %Rowan County14.546Fulton County: 14.472 %Fulton County14.472Allen County: 14.431 %Allen County14.431Rockcastle County: 14.392 %Rockcastle County14.392Bracken County: 14.316 %Bracken County14.316Woodford County: 14.164 %Woodford County14.164Whitley County: 13.991 %Whitley County13.991Webster County: 13.887 %Webster County13.887Hancock County: 13.849 %Hancock County13.849Hart County: 13.662 %Hart County13.662Boone County: 13.517 %Boone County13.517Floyd County: 13.442 %Floyd County13.442Marshall County: 13.38 %Marshall County13.38Shelby County: 13.24 %Shelby County13.24Wolfe County: 13.147 %Wolfe County13.147Grayson County: 13.123 %Grayson County13.123Owen County: 13.093 %Owen County13.093Morgan County: 12.763 %Morgan County12.763Kenton County: 12.726 %Kenton County12.726Clinton County: 12.677 %Clinton County12.677
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Bath County36.676+23.73 pts
2Logan County27.508+19.23 pts
3Crittenden County25.053+13.69 pts
4Breathitt County19.574+9.18 pts
5Todd County19.387+11.17 pts
6Muhlenberg County19.258+7.02 pts
7Wayne County18.829+9.67 pts
8Lincoln County18.784+8.02 pts
9Lawrence County18.388+7.41 pts
10Lewis County18.282+0.51 pts
11Garrard County17.5-0.21 pts
12McLean County17.378-4.96 pts
13Lyon County16.964+5.06 pts
14McCreary County16.944+5.99 pts
15Grant County16.098+7.28 pts
16Oldham County15.512+2.81 pts
17Estill County15.348+7.36 pts
18Knott County15.201+4.99 pts
19Owsley County14.964+3.17 pts
20Edmonson County14.916-0.67 pts
21Rowan County14.546+4.58 pts
22Fulton County14.472+4.46 pts
23Allen County14.431+5.82 pts
24Rockcastle County14.392+3.7 pts
25Bracken County14.316+8.64 pts
26Woodford County14.164+5.43 pts
27Whitley County13.991+1.86 pts
28Webster County13.887+5.6 pts
29Hancock County13.849+9.55 pts
30Hart County13.662+4.96 pts
31Boone County13.517+0.7 pts
32Floyd County13.442+2.52 pts
33Marshall County13.38+3.58 pts
34Shelby County13.24-5.64 pts
35Wolfe County13.147+2.25 pts
36Grayson County13.123-0.54 pts
37Owen County13.093+2.21 pts
38Morgan County12.763+6.17 pts
39Kenton County12.726-0.86 pts
40Clinton County12.677+4.53 pts
41Christian County12.593-2.97 pts
42Adair County12.577+3.19 pts
43Russell County12.309+2.34 pts
44Henry County12.245-11.14 pts
45Knox County12.241+2.97 pts
46Caldwell County12.214+0.67 pts
47Leslie County12.205+6.61 pts
48Jefferson County12.09-1.22 pts
49Jessamine County12.071-1 pts
50Monroe County12.063+2.11 pts
51Campbell County11.912-3.14 pts
52Scott County11.9+0.6 pts
53Carlisle County11.841-0 pts
54Warren County11.784-2.63 pts
55Bullitt County11.749-5.69 pts
56Hardin County11.734+0.87 pts
57Hopkins County11.182-1.57 pts
58Fayette County11.179-1.29 pts
59Madison County11.063-0.22 pts
60McCracken County11.053-1.17 pts
61Anderson County11.034-0.9 pts
62Montgomery County10.997+0.78 pts
63Daviess County10.941+1.32 pts
64Pulaski County10.723-0.89 pts
65Johnson County10.539+1.07 pts
66Clark County10.478-3.2 pts
67Trimble County10.441-1.36 pts
68Franklin County10.278-3.13 pts
69Bell County10.254+0.77 pts
70Metcalfe County10.208+6.66 pts
71Breckinridge County10.176-0.09 pts
72Spencer County10.165-1.35 pts
73Trigg County10.112-3.99 pts
74Perry County10.107-6.11 pts
75Boyd County10.093-1.02 pts
76Bourbon County9.983-1.1 pts
77Barren County9.965+2.22 pts
78Elliott County9.913-0.42 pts
79Harrison County9.88-5.15 pts
80Fleming County9.786-1.38 pts
81Martin County9.772+3.1 pts
82Marion County9.676-5.59 pts
83Larue County9.603+1.36 pts
84Powell County9.57-11.07 pts
85Greenup County9.48+0.75 pts
86Nelson County9.21-1.19 pts
87Calloway County9.17-1.87 pts
88Laurel County9.066-1.14 pts
89Henderson County9.056-0.39 pts
90Taylor County8.796-1.9 pts
91Harlan County8.743+1.45 pts
91Pike County8.743-0.77 pts
93Meade County8.741-0.45 pts
94Boyle County8.689+1.4 pts
95Graves County8.672-3.61 pts
96Magoffin County8.656-2.74 pts
97Nicholas County8.409-4.33 pts
98Letcher County8.399-0.39 pts
99Simpson County8.363-6.3 pts
100Butler County8.344-3.52 pts
101Menifee County8.298-4.76 pts
102Clay County8.167+0.28 pts
103Livingston County8.04-3.57 pts
104Pendleton County7.931-0.37 pts
105Carter County7.924-0.48 pts
106Green County7.428-6.67 pts
107Casey County7.358-9.25 pts
108Washington County7.28-1.66 pts
109Union County7.024+0.84 pts
110Hickman County6.905-4.19 pts
111Ohio County6.631-0.55 pts
112Jackson County6.528-0.07 pts
113Cumberland County6.38-2.34 pts
114Mercer County6.314-6.44 pts
115Lee County6.057-16.67 pts
116Ballard County5.89-2.82 pts
117Carroll County5.878-3.75 pts
118Mason County5.748-5.28 pts
119Robertson County5.333-4.02 pts
120Gallatin County3.89-6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Jobs added at opening and expanding establishments during the year, as a percentage of average employment in the two years. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

A gross flow: jobs lost elsewhere are not subtracted, so the net change is this rate minus job_destruction_rate. Not the same as payroll job growth from the monthly employment surveys. 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. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation 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: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in Kentucky by job creation rate, 2016) [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: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Kentucky by job creation rate, 2016. 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/job-creation-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in Kentucky by job creation rate, 2016. 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/job-creation-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Kentucky by job creation rate, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_kentucky_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Kentucky by job creation rate, 2016}},
  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/job-creation-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation 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: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Kentucky by job creation rate, 2016
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/job-creation-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/kentucky-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation 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 job creation rate?

Bath County, with 36.676% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job creation rate?

Gallatin County, with 3.89% in 2016.

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: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Job creation rate: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings