Employment in Kentucky’s three largest counties saw growth in two of them from March 2024 to March 2025, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Boone County experienced the largest increase with a gain of 1.3 percent over the year.
Jefferson County recorded the highest employment among these counties, with 478,100 jobs as of March 2025. Combined, Jefferson, Fayette, and Boone counties represented nearly 40 percent of all covered employment in Kentucky. Nationally, large counties account for about 73 percent of total covered employment across the United States.
All three major Kentucky counties reported an increase in average weekly wages compared to the previous year. Fayette County led with a rise of 3.1 percent, followed by Boone at 2.6 percent and Jefferson at 2.4 percent.
Despite these increases, average weekly wages in each large county remained below the national average of $1,589. Jefferson posted the highest local figure at $1,485 per week, while Fayette and Boone reported $1,300 and $1,156 respectively.
Data on employment and wage levels are also available for Kentucky’s smaller counties—those with fewer than 75,000 employees in 2024. Of these smaller counties, Hancock had the highest average weekly wage at $1,750; Nicholas had the lowest at $699. In total across all Kentucky counties: sixteen had average weekly wages under $800; thirty-four ranged from $800 to $899; twenty-seven fell between $900 and $999; nineteen were between $1,000 and $1,099; and twenty-four exceeded or matched an average weekly wage of $1,100.
The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages provides further details about county-level data through its website.
Victoria G. Lee, Regional Commissioner for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics noted: “Boone County had the larger over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 1.3 percent.”
The next County Employment and Wages news release covering second quarter data is scheduled for December 3rd.
