Employment in Kentucky’s three largest counties showed mixed results from March 2024 to March 2025, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Boone County experienced the highest employment growth among these counties, increasing by 1.3 percent over the year.
Jefferson County recorded the highest number of jobs with 478,100 positions as of March 2025. The combined workforce of Jefferson, Fayette, and Boone counties represented nearly 40 percent of all covered employment in Kentucky. On a national scale, large counties—defined as those with at least 75,000 employees in 2024—accounted for more than 73 percent of total covered employment across the United States.
Average weekly wages rose in all three large Kentucky counties during this period. Fayette County led with a wage increase 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 of these counties remained below the national average of $1,589 per week. Jefferson County had the highest local wage at $1,485 per week, while Fayette and Boone reported averages of $1,300 and $1,156 respectively.
For Kentucky’s smaller counties—those with fewer than 75,000 employees—employment and wage levels are also available. Of these 117 small counties, only Hancock County exceeded the national average weekly wage with $1,750; Nicholas County had the lowest average at $699 per week.
Statewide figures show that out of all 120 Kentucky counties:
– Sixteen reported 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 had wages at or above $1,100.
Further details on state-level QCEW data can be found in table three included with this release. Nationwide coverage is available through the County Employment and Wages news release series and additional technical notes are accessible via the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.
The next scheduled release covering second quarter data for 2025 will be published on December 3, 2025.
“Employment increased in 2 of the 3 largest counties in Kentucky from March 2024 to March 2025,” said Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee. “Boone County had the larger over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 1.3 percent.”
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