Counties in Kentucky by wages and salaries paid

Jefferson County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 120 counties in 2017, at $26.55 billion. Robertson County had the lowest, at $9.63 million. The median was $184.18 million and the figure for Kentucky was $90.55 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest26,545.9Jefferson County
Median184.2120 counties
Kentucky90,549.7History

Map of counties, 2017

Adair County: 155.3 USD millionAllen County: 166.7 USD millionAnderson County: 182.8 USD millionBallard County: 83.4 USD millionBarren County: 633.1 USD millionBath County: 74 USD millionBell County: 296.4 USD millionBoone County: 4,317.1 USD millionBourbon County: 289.6 USD millionBoyd County: 1,184.2 USD millionBoyle County: 596.6 USD millionBracken County: 53.9 USD millionBreathitt County: 114.5 USD millionBreckinridge County: 133.5 USD millionBullitt County: 984.2 USD millionButler County: 110.7 USD millionCaldwell County: 147.8 USD millionCalloway County: 601.3 USD millionCampbell County: 1,420.1 USD millionCarlisle County: 34.9 USD millionCarroll County: 369.3 USD millionCarter County: 194.3 USD millionCasey County: 130.7 USD millionChristian County: 3,189.9 USD millionClark County: 652.5 USD millionClay County: 158.3 USD millionClinton County: 118.9 USD millionCrittenden County: 71.4 USD millionCumberland County: 65.9 USD millionDaviess County: 2,014.9 USD millionEdmonson County: 57.7 USD millionElliott County: 33.1 USD millionEstill County: 90.6 USD millionFayette County: 9,917 USD millionFleming County: 113.8 USD millionFloyd County: 434.9 USD millionFranklin County: 1,424.1 USD millionFulton County: 76.8 USD millionGallatin County: 125.2 USD millionGarrard County: 84.3 USD millionGrant County: 216.5 USD millionGraves County: 428.8 USD millionGrayson County: 281.9 USD millionGreen County: 59 USD millionGreenup County: 357.3 USD millionHancock County: 265.4 USD millionHardin County: 2,505 USD millionHarlan County: 223.7 USD millionHarrison County: 212.9 USD millionHart County: 193.3 USD millionHenderson County: 861.6 USD millionHenry County: 111.3 USD millionHickman County: 32 USD millionHopkins County: 768.4 USD millionJackson County: 56.2 USD millionJefferson County: 26,545.9 USD millionJessamine County: 710 USD millionJohnson County: 188.9 USD millionKenton County: 3,669.4 USD millionKnott County: 79.2 USD millionKnox County: 290.7 USD millionLarue County: 93.5 USD millionLaurel County: 1,001.2 USD millionLawrence County: 122.5 USD millionLee County: 54.2 USD millionLeslie County: 64.3 USD millionLetcher County: 156.9 USD millionLewis County: 68.3 USD millionLincoln County: 145.1 USD millionLivingston County: 117.6 USD millionLogan County: 396 USD millionLyon County: 83.1 USD millionMcCracken County: 1,762.1 USD millionMcCreary County: 102.1 USD millionMcLean County: 73.9 USD millionMadison County: 1,405.3 USD millionMagoffin County: 56 USD millionMarion County: 353.6 USD millionMarshall County: 563 USD millionMartin County: 118.4 USD millionMason County: 364.9 USD millionMeade County: 172.6 USD millionMenifee County: 31.9 USD millionMercer County: 312.2 USD millionMetcalfe County: 69 USD millionMonroe County: 112.4 USD millionMontgomery County: 430.9 USD millionMorgan County: 107.9 USD millionMuhlenberg County: 407.7 USD millionNelson County: 674.8 USD millionNicholas County: 31.1 USD millionOhio County: 266.2 USD millionOldham County: 755.3 USD millionOwen County: 68.5 USD millionOwsley County: 20.6 USD millionPendleton County: 101.3 USD millionPerry County: 452 USD millionPike County: 942.2 USD millionPowell County: 85.9 USD millionPulaski County: 935.6 USD millionRobertson County: 9.6 USD millionRockcastle County: 142.3 USD millionRowan County: 367.7 USD millionRussell County: 185.8 USD millionScott County: 1,499.5 USD millionShelby County: 706.6 USD millionSimpson County: 373.8 USD millionSpencer County: 78.8 USD millionTaylor County: 442.8 USD millionTodd County: 88.1 USD millionTrigg County: 107.5 USD millionTrimble County: 53.6 USD millionUnion County: 220.7 USD millionWarren County: 2,818.9 USD millionWashington County: 138.1 USD millionWayne County: 185.6 USD millionWebster County: 156.1 USD millionWhitley County: 468.7 USD millionWolfe County: 38.5 USD millionWoodford County: 426 USD million
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USD million, 2017. 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, 2017

Jefferson County: 26,545.9 USD millionJefferson County26,545.9Fayette County: 9,917 USD millionFayette County9,917Boone County: 4,317.1 USD millionBoone County4,317.1Kenton County: 3,669.4 USD millionKenton County3,669.4Christian County: 3,189.9 USD millionChristian County3,189.9Warren County: 2,818.9 USD millionWarren County2,818.9Hardin County: 2,505 USD millionHardin County2,505Daviess County: 2,014.9 USD millionDaviess County2,014.9McCracken County: 1,762.1 USD millionMcCracken County1,762.1Scott County: 1,499.5 USD millionScott County1,499.5Franklin County: 1,424.1 USD millionFranklin County1,424.1Campbell County: 1,420.1 USD millionCampbell County1,420.1Madison County: 1,405.3 USD millionMadison County1,405.3Boyd County: 1,184.2 USD millionBoyd County1,184.2Laurel County: 1,001.2 USD millionLaurel County1,001.2Bullitt County: 984.2 USD millionBullitt County984.2Pike County: 942.2 USD millionPike County942.2Pulaski County: 935.6 USD millionPulaski County935.6Henderson County: 861.6 USD millionHenderson County861.6Hopkins County: 768.4 USD millionHopkins County768.4Oldham County: 755.3 USD millionOldham County755.3Jessamine County: 710 USD millionJessamine County710Shelby County: 706.6 USD millionShelby County706.6Nelson County: 674.8 USD millionNelson County674.8Clark County: 652.5 USD millionClark County652.5Barren County: 633.1 USD millionBarren County633.1Calloway County: 601.3 USD millionCalloway County601.3Boyle County: 596.6 USD millionBoyle County596.6Marshall County: 563 USD millionMarshall County563Whitley County: 468.7 USD millionWhitley County468.7Perry County: 452 USD millionPerry County452Taylor County: 442.8 USD millionTaylor County442.8Floyd County: 434.9 USD millionFloyd County434.9Montgomery County: 430.9 USD millionMontgomery County430.9Graves County: 428.8 USD millionGraves County428.8Woodford County: 426 USD millionWoodford County426Muhlenberg County: 407.7 USD millionMuhlenberg County407.7Logan County: 396 USD millionLogan County396Simpson County: 373.8 USD millionSimpson County373.8Carroll County: 369.3 USD millionCarroll County369.3Jefferson County: 26,545.9 USD millionJefferson County26,545.9Fayette County: 9,917 USD millionFayette County9,917Boone County: 4,317.1 USD millionBoone County4,317.1Kenton County: 3,669.4 USD millionKenton County3,669.4Christian County: 3,189.9 USD millionChristian County3,189.9Warren County: 2,818.9 USD millionWarren County2,818.9Hardin County: 2,505 USD millionHardin County2,505Daviess County: 2,014.9 USD millionDaviess County2,014.9McCracken County: 1,762.1 USD millionMcCracken County1,762.1Scott County: 1,499.5 USD millionScott County1,499.5Franklin County: 1,424.1 USD millionFranklin County1,424.1Campbell County: 1,420.1 USD millionCampbell County1,420.1Madison County: 1,405.3 USD millionMadison County1,405.3Boyd County: 1,184.2 USD millionBoyd County1,184.2Laurel County: 1,001.2 USD millionLaurel County1,001.2Bullitt County: 984.2 USD millionBullitt County984.2Pike County: 942.2 USD millionPike County942.2Pulaski County: 935.6 USD millionPulaski County935.6Henderson County: 861.6 USD millionHenderson County861.6Hopkins County: 768.4 USD millionHopkins County768.4Oldham County: 755.3 USD millionOldham County755.3Jessamine County: 710 USD millionJessamine County710Shelby County: 706.6 USD millionShelby County706.6Nelson County: 674.8 USD millionNelson County674.8Clark County: 652.5 USD millionClark County652.5Barren County: 633.1 USD millionBarren County633.1Calloway County: 601.3 USD millionCalloway County601.3Boyle County: 596.6 USD millionBoyle County596.6Marshall County: 563 USD millionMarshall County563Whitley County: 468.7 USD millionWhitley County468.7Perry County: 452 USD millionPerry County452Taylor County: 442.8 USD millionTaylor County442.8Floyd County: 434.9 USD millionFloyd County434.9Montgomery County: 430.9 USD millionMontgomery County430.9Graves County: 428.8 USD millionGraves County428.8Woodford County: 426 USD millionWoodford County426Muhlenberg County: 407.7 USD millionMuhlenberg County407.7Logan County: 396 USD millionLogan County396Simpson County: 373.8 USD millionSimpson County373.8Carroll County: 369.3 USD millionCarroll County369.3
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

RankCounties2017
USD million
Change on 2016
1Jefferson County26,545.9+3.7%
2Fayette County9,917+2.8%
3Boone County4,317.1+4.8%
4Kenton County3,669.4+4.5%
5Christian County3,189.9+2.6%
6Warren County2,818.9+4.1%
7Hardin County2,505+2.1%
8Daviess County2,014.9+3.2%
9McCracken County1,762.1+0.4%
10Scott County1,499.5+2.1%
11Franklin County1,424.1-2%
12Campbell County1,420.1+5.1%
13Madison County1,405.3+2.3%
14Boyd County1,184.2+4.3%
15Laurel County1,001.2+5%
16Bullitt County984.2+9%
17Pike County942.2+6.8%
18Pulaski County935.6+2.1%
19Henderson County861.6+3.1%
20Hopkins County768.4-0.4%
21Oldham County755.3+6.3%
22Jessamine County710+5.1%
23Shelby County706.6+3.5%
24Nelson County674.8+6.4%
25Clark County652.5+4%
26Barren County633.1+1.1%
27Calloway County601.3+2.3%
28Boyle County596.6+2.2%
29Marshall County563-0.1%
30Whitley County468.7-0.3%
31Perry County452+4%
32Taylor County442.8+6.6%
33Floyd County434.9-1.1%
34Montgomery County430.9+2.2%
35Graves County428.8+3.1%
36Woodford County426+1.5%
37Muhlenberg County407.7+3.6%
38Logan County396+6.5%
39Simpson County373.8+8.3%
40Carroll County369.3-8%
41Rowan County367.7+0.1%
42Mason County364.9+1.6%
43Greenup County357.3+1%
44Marion County353.6+4.7%
45Mercer County312.2-0.6%
46Bell County296.4+1.6%
47Knox County290.7+1.4%
48Bourbon County289.6+0.7%
49Grayson County281.9+3.3%
50Ohio County266.2+2.2%
51Hancock County265.4-6.8%
52Harlan County223.7+1.4%
53Union County220.7+2.6%
54Grant County216.5+5%
55Harrison County212.9+3%
56Carter County194.3+3.4%
57Hart County193.3+4.6%
58Johnson County188.9-0.1%
59Russell County185.8+4.6%
60Wayne County185.6+2.3%
61Anderson County182.8+3.4%
62Meade County172.6+2.2%
63Allen County166.7-2.2%
64Clay County158.3+1.7%
65Letcher County156.9+0.3%
66Webster County156.1+2.4%
67Adair County155.3+0.1%
68Caldwell County147.8+3%
69Lincoln County145.1-1%
70Rockcastle County142.3+9.9%
71Washington County138.1+2.7%
72Breckinridge County133.5+6.5%
73Casey County130.7-1.5%
74Gallatin County125.2+2.7%
75Lawrence County122.5-0.6%
76Clinton County118.9+1.6%
77Martin County118.4-5.4%
78Livingston County117.60%
79Breathitt County114.5+2.9%
80Fleming County113.8+5.2%
81Monroe County112.4+6.1%
82Henry County111.3+5%
83Butler County110.7-0.1%
84Morgan County107.9+2%
85Trigg County107.5+2.1%
86McCreary County102.1+3.3%
87Pendleton County101.3+2.2%
88Larue County93.5+0.2%
89Estill County90.6+6.3%
90Todd County88.1+1.8%
91Powell County85.9+2%
92Garrard County84.3-0.6%
93Ballard County83.4-8.2%
94Lyon County83.1+6.1%
95Knott County79.2-6%
96Spencer County78.8+4.6%
97Fulton County76.8+0.1%
98Bath County74+3.2%
99McLean County73.9+3.6%
100Crittenden County71.4-2.9%
101Metcalfe County69+3%
102Owen County68.5-1.8%
103Lewis County68.3+1.9%
104Cumberland County65.9+5.9%
105Leslie County64.3+0.4%
106Green County59+1.4%
107Edmonson County57.7+6.3%
108Jackson County56.2-6.6%
109Magoffin County56-0.8%
110Lee County54.2-0.7%
111Bracken County53.9-1.9%
112Trimble County53.6-1.5%
113Wolfe County38.5+1.1%
114Carlisle County34.9-35.8%
115Elliott County33.1+6.8%
116Hickman County32-2.2%
117Menifee County31.9+5.4%
118Nicholas County31.1+3.2%
119Owsley County20.6+1.1%
120Robertson County9.6+5.7%

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, 2017) [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, 2017. 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=2017. 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, 2017. 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=2017.

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, 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/kentucky-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_kentucky_by_2017,
  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, 2017}},
  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=2017. 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, 2017
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=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/kentucky-counties?period=2017.
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 $26.55 billion in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Robertson County, with $9.63 million in 2017.

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