Counties in Kentucky by wages and salaries paid

Jefferson County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 120 counties in 2015, at $24.68 billion. Robertson County had the lowest, at $8.44 million. The median was $171.48 million and the figure for Kentucky was $85.38 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest24,680.4Jefferson County
Median171.5120 counties
Kentucky85,379.3History

Map of counties, 2015

Adair County: 154.6 USD millionAllen County: 158.2 USD millionAnderson County: 171.3 USD millionBallard County: 120.7 USD millionBarren County: 608.3 USD millionBath County: 69.8 USD millionBell County: 293.4 USD millionBoone County: 3,862.8 USD millionBourbon County: 291.1 USD millionBoyd County: 1,218.7 USD millionBoyle County: 559.6 USD millionBracken County: 53.3 USD millionBreathitt County: 113.9 USD millionBreckinridge County: 124.4 USD millionBullitt County: 825.3 USD millionButler County: 101.5 USD millionCaldwell County: 140.2 USD millionCalloway County: 577.9 USD millionCampbell County: 1,254.3 USD millionCarlisle County: 31.3 USD millionCarroll County: 376 USD millionCarter County: 190.7 USD millionCasey County: 124.1 USD millionChristian County: 3,181.5 USD millionClark County: 598.8 USD millionClay County: 154.5 USD millionClinton County: 116.2 USD millionCrittenden County: 72.9 USD millionCumberland County: 59.8 USD millionDaviess County: 1,898.1 USD millionEdmonson County: 52.6 USD millionElliott County: 29.4 USD millionEstill County: 87.7 USD millionFayette County: 9,305.5 USD millionFleming County: 107.1 USD millionFloyd County: 434.6 USD millionFranklin County: 1,392.3 USD millionFulton County: 78.3 USD millionGallatin County: 121.5 USD millionGarrard County: 86.4 USD millionGrant County: 195.1 USD millionGraves County: 403.9 USD millionGrayson County: 259.8 USD millionGreen County: 57.5 USD millionGreenup County: 369.4 USD millionHancock County: 305.8 USD millionHardin County: 2,408 USD millionHarlan County: 237.8 USD millionHarrison County: 198.9 USD millionHart County: 178.2 USD millionHenderson County: 818.9 USD millionHenry County: 105 USD millionHickman County: 33.1 USD millionHopkins County: 762 USD millionJackson County: 61.1 USD millionJefferson County: 24,680.4 USD millionJessamine County: 653.5 USD millionJohnson County: 198 USD millionKenton County: 3,352.6 USD millionKnott County: 92.1 USD millionKnox County: 280.4 USD millionLarue County: 89.2 USD millionLaurel County: 911.7 USD millionLawrence County: 125.3 USD millionLee County: 54.3 USD millionLeslie County: 64.2 USD millionLetcher County: 167 USD millionLewis County: 68.4 USD millionLincoln County: 143.6 USD millionLivingston County: 123.3 USD millionLogan County: 349.4 USD millionLyon County: 72 USD millionMcCracken County: 1,706.2 USD millionMcCreary County: 98.7 USD millionMcLean County: 67 USD millionMadison County: 1,357.9 USD millionMagoffin County: 63.8 USD millionMarion County: 318.9 USD millionMarshall County: 571.6 USD millionMartin County: 133.5 USD millionMason County: 385.7 USD millionMeade County: 163.2 USD millionMenifee County: 29.4 USD millionMercer County: 301.4 USD millionMetcalfe County: 66.6 USD millionMonroe County: 102.6 USD millionMontgomery County: 421.4 USD millionMorgan County: 101 USD millionMuhlenberg County: 430.2 USD millionNelson County: 606.8 USD millionNicholas County: 28.9 USD millionOhio County: 256.1 USD millionOldham County: 663.4 USD millionOwen County: 67.1 USD millionOwsley County: 20.4 USD millionPendleton County: 99.4 USD millionPerry County: 473.9 USD millionPike County: 917.2 USD millionPowell County: 84.2 USD millionPulaski County: 902.2 USD millionRobertson County: 8.4 USD millionRockcastle County: 118.9 USD millionRowan County: 352.7 USD millionRussell County: 170.5 USD millionScott County: 1,385.8 USD millionShelby County: 645.4 USD millionSimpson County: 333.2 USD millionSpencer County: 70.6 USD millionTaylor County: 389.6 USD millionTodd County: 83.6 USD millionTrigg County: 105.5 USD millionTrimble County: 48.3 USD millionUnion County: 225.5 USD millionWarren County: 2,579.7 USD millionWashington County: 131.4 USD millionWayne County: 171.6 USD millionWebster County: 180.5 USD millionWhitley County: 464.4 USD millionWolfe County: 37.7 USD millionWoodford County: 418.3 USD million
  • Under 100
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  • 700 and over
USD million, 2015. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2015

Jefferson County: 24,680.4 USD millionJefferson County24,680.4Fayette County: 9,305.5 USD millionFayette County9,305.5Boone County: 3,862.8 USD millionBoone County3,862.8Kenton County: 3,352.6 USD millionKenton County3,352.6Christian County: 3,181.5 USD millionChristian County3,181.5Warren County: 2,579.7 USD millionWarren County2,579.7Hardin County: 2,408 USD millionHardin County2,408Daviess County: 1,898.1 USD millionDaviess County1,898.1McCracken County: 1,706.2 USD millionMcCracken County1,706.2Franklin County: 1,392.3 USD millionFranklin County1,392.3Scott County: 1,385.8 USD millionScott County1,385.8Madison County: 1,357.9 USD millionMadison County1,357.9Campbell County: 1,254.3 USD millionCampbell County1,254.3Boyd County: 1,218.7 USD millionBoyd County1,218.7Pike County: 917.2 USD millionPike County917.2Laurel County: 911.7 USD millionLaurel County911.7Pulaski County: 902.2 USD millionPulaski County902.2Bullitt County: 825.3 USD millionBullitt County825.3Henderson County: 818.9 USD millionHenderson County818.9Hopkins County: 762 USD millionHopkins County762Oldham County: 663.4 USD millionOldham County663.4Jessamine County: 653.5 USD millionJessamine County653.5Shelby County: 645.4 USD millionShelby County645.4Barren County: 608.3 USD millionBarren County608.3Nelson County: 606.8 USD millionNelson County606.8Clark County: 598.8 USD millionClark County598.8Calloway County: 577.9 USD millionCalloway County577.9Marshall County: 571.6 USD millionMarshall County571.6Boyle County: 559.6 USD millionBoyle County559.6Perry County: 473.9 USD millionPerry County473.9Whitley County: 464.4 USD millionWhitley County464.4Floyd County: 434.6 USD millionFloyd County434.6Muhlenberg County: 430.2 USD millionMuhlenberg County430.2Montgomery County: 421.4 USD millionMontgomery County421.4Woodford County: 418.3 USD millionWoodford County418.3Graves County: 403.9 USD millionGraves County403.9Taylor County: 389.6 USD millionTaylor County389.6Mason County: 385.7 USD millionMason County385.7Carroll County: 376 USD millionCarroll County376Greenup County: 369.4 USD millionGreenup County369.4Jefferson County: 24,680.4 USD millionJefferson County24,680.4Fayette County: 9,305.5 USD millionFayette County9,305.5Boone County: 3,862.8 USD millionBoone County3,862.8Kenton County: 3,352.6 USD millionKenton County3,352.6Christian County: 3,181.5 USD millionChristian County3,181.5Warren County: 2,579.7 USD millionWarren County2,579.7Hardin County: 2,408 USD millionHardin County2,408Daviess County: 1,898.1 USD millionDaviess County1,898.1McCracken County: 1,706.2 USD millionMcCracken County1,706.2Franklin County: 1,392.3 USD millionFranklin County1,392.3Scott County: 1,385.8 USD millionScott County1,385.8Madison County: 1,357.9 USD millionMadison County1,357.9Campbell County: 1,254.3 USD millionCampbell County1,254.3Boyd County: 1,218.7 USD millionBoyd County1,218.7Pike County: 917.2 USD millionPike County917.2Laurel County: 911.7 USD millionLaurel County911.7Pulaski County: 902.2 USD millionPulaski County902.2Bullitt County: 825.3 USD millionBullitt County825.3Henderson County: 818.9 USD millionHenderson County818.9Hopkins County: 762 USD millionHopkins County762Oldham County: 663.4 USD millionOldham County663.4Jessamine County: 653.5 USD millionJessamine County653.5Shelby County: 645.4 USD millionShelby County645.4Barren County: 608.3 USD millionBarren County608.3Nelson County: 606.8 USD millionNelson County606.8Clark County: 598.8 USD millionClark County598.8Calloway County: 577.9 USD millionCalloway County577.9Marshall County: 571.6 USD millionMarshall County571.6Boyle County: 559.6 USD millionBoyle County559.6Perry County: 473.9 USD millionPerry County473.9Whitley County: 464.4 USD millionWhitley County464.4Floyd County: 434.6 USD millionFloyd County434.6Muhlenberg County: 430.2 USD millionMuhlenberg County430.2Montgomery County: 421.4 USD millionMontgomery County421.4Woodford County: 418.3 USD millionWoodford County418.3Graves County: 403.9 USD millionGraves County403.9Taylor County: 389.6 USD millionTaylor County389.6Mason County: 385.7 USD millionMason County385.7Carroll County: 376 USD millionCarroll County376Greenup County: 369.4 USD millionGreenup County369.4
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015
USD million
Change on 2014
1Jefferson County24,680.4+7%
2Fayette County9,305.5+7.1%
3Boone County3,862.8+6.9%
4Kenton County3,352.6+2.4%
5Christian County3,181.5+1.1%
6Warren County2,579.7+5.9%
7Hardin County2,408+0.6%
8Daviess County1,898.1+5.6%
9McCracken County1,706.2+4.7%
10Franklin County1,392.3+3%
11Scott County1,385.8+4.9%
12Madison County1,357.9+2.9%
13Campbell County1,254.3+4.7%
14Boyd County1,218.7-3.5%
15Pike County917.2-1%
16Laurel County911.7+5.1%
17Pulaski County902.2+5%
18Bullitt County825.3+8.4%
19Henderson County818.9+3.9%
20Hopkins County762-0%
21Oldham County663.4+8%
22Jessamine County653.5+5.5%
23Shelby County645.4+7.3%
24Barren County608.3+4.6%
25Nelson County606.8+5.1%
26Clark County598.8+6.7%
27Calloway County577.9+4.3%
28Marshall County571.6+6.4%
29Boyle County559.6+3.6%
30Perry County473.9-1.9%
31Whitley County464.4+4.2%
32Floyd County434.6-0.3%
33Muhlenberg County430.2-1.8%
34Montgomery County421.4+3.7%
35Woodford County418.3+6.8%
36Graves County403.9+3.7%
37Taylor County389.6+7.5%
38Mason County385.7-2%
39Carroll County376+13.5%
40Greenup County369.4+5.2%
41Rowan County352.7+5.8%
42Logan County349.4+4%
43Simpson County333.2+4.3%
44Marion County318.9+6.9%
45Hancock County305.8+4.5%
46Mercer County301.4+1.9%
47Bell County293.4+1.9%
48Bourbon County291.1+1.9%
49Knox County280.4-1.8%
50Grayson County259.8+4.4%
51Ohio County256.1+5.3%
52Harlan County237.8-10%
53Union County225.5-14.5%
54Harrison County198.9+7.2%
55Johnson County198-1.6%
56Grant County195.1+6.7%
57Carter County190.7+3.1%
58Webster County180.5-1.2%
59Hart County178.2+7.2%
60Wayne County171.6+4.5%
61Anderson County171.3+4.6%
62Russell County170.5-5.5%
63Letcher County167-4.4%
64Meade County163.2+3.9%
65Allen County158.2+9.1%
66Adair County154.6+3.1%
67Clay County154.5+2.9%
68Lincoln County143.6+3.9%
69Caldwell County140.2+3.7%
70Martin County133.5-4.9%
71Washington County131.4+7.2%
72Lawrence County125.3+4.5%
73Breckinridge County124.4+3.9%
74Casey County124.1+8.6%
75Livingston County123.3-11.6%
76Gallatin County121.5+2.8%
77Ballard County120.7-9.9%
78Rockcastle County118.9+2.4%
79Clinton County116.2+0.7%
80Breathitt County113.9+1.3%
81Fleming County107.1+2.8%
82Trigg County105.5+6.5%
83Henry County105-0.5%
84Monroe County102.6+8.3%
85Butler County101.5+5.3%
86Morgan County101-0.4%
87Pendleton County99.4+2.8%
88McCreary County98.7+2.5%
89Knott County92.1-3.7%
90Larue County89.2+6.1%
91Estill County87.7+6.1%
92Garrard County86.4+11.7%
93Powell County84.2+6.8%
94Todd County83.6+3.3%
95Fulton County78.3-6.9%
96Crittenden County72.9+8.2%
97Lyon County72+7.6%
98Spencer County70.6+5.6%
99Bath County69.8+11.7%
100Lewis County68.4+1.4%
101Owen County67.1+3.3%
102McLean County67+10.1%
103Metcalfe County66.6+5.6%
104Leslie County64.2+0.8%
105Magoffin County63.8-1.5%
106Jackson County61.1-1.5%
107Cumberland County59.8+6.4%
108Green County57.5+0.3%
109Lee County54.3-1.6%
110Bracken County53.3-0.4%
111Edmonson County52.6+1.4%
112Trimble County48.3+0.8%
113Wolfe County37.7+2.7%
114Hickman County33.1-1.7%
115Carlisle County31.3-0.2%
116Menifee County29.4+1.7%
117Elliott County29.4+7%
118Nicholas County28.9+0.1%
119Owsley County20.4+7.6%
120Robertson County8.4-0.8%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages and salaries paid to employees for jobs located in a place, including tips, bonuses and pay in kind, before deductions, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC4 line 50 for the nation and states and CAINC4 line 50 for counties.

Counted where the jobs are, not where the workers live, so places with many commuters coming in can pay more in wages than their residents receive in personal income (the District of Columbia does). Excludes employer contributions to pensions, insurance and social security, and the income of the self-employed.

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. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. 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. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2026). CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in Kentucky by wages and salaries paid, 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip

MLA 9

CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Kentucky by wages and salaries paid, 2015. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/kentucky-counties?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in Kentucky by wages and salaries paid, 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/kentucky-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Kentucky by wages and salaries paid, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/kentucky-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_kentucky_by_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Kentucky by wages and salaries paid, 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/kentucky-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Kentucky by wages and salaries paid, 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/kentucky-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/kentucky-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Jefferson County, with $24.68 billion in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Robertson County, with $8.44 million in 2015.

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, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Wages and salaries paid: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings