Employment in Kentucky’s three largest counties showed mixed results from March 2024 to March 2025, according to new data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Boone County recorded the highest employment growth among these counties with a 1.3 percent increase over the year.
Jefferson County reported the highest employment figure, with 478,100 jobs as of March 2025. Together, Boone, Fayette, and Jefferson counties made up nearly 40 percent of all covered employment in Kentucky during this period. On a national scale, large counties—defined as those with at least 75,000 employees in 2024—represented more than 73 percent of total covered employment across the United States.
All three large Kentucky counties experienced increases in average weekly wages compared to the previous year. Fayette County led wage growth with a rise of 3.1 percent, followed by Boone at 2.6 percent and Jefferson at 2.4 percent.
Despite these gains, average weekly wages in each of these counties remained below the national average of $1,589 for the first quarter of 2025. Jefferson had the highest county wage at $1,485 per week; Fayette averaged $1,300; and Boone reported $1,156.
For Kentucky’s smaller counties—those employing fewer than 75,000 people—employment and wage levels are also available through BLS data sources. Of these small counties, Hancock reported the state’s highest average weekly wage at $1,750 while Nicholas had the lowest at $699.
Across all Kentucky counties during this period: sixteen had an average weekly wage under $800; thirty-four fell between $800 and $899; twenty-seven ranged from $900 to $999; nineteen were between $1,000 and $1,099; and twenty-four reported wages above $1,100 per week.
Comprehensive data tables accompany this release on regional trends and comparisons to national figures via the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program on the BLS website (https://www.bls.gov/cew/).
The next scheduled release for second quarter data is set for 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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