Employment declined in 1 of the 4 largest counties in Kentucky from March 2025 to March 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Kentucky employment decreased 0.4 percent over the year to 1,979,100 in March 2026, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that employment decreased 0.5 percent in Jefferson County. (See chart 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Kentucky, March 2026

County	Percent change, March 2026
Jefferson	-0.5
Kenton	0.1
Fayette	0.4
Boone	1.9

Jefferson County (475,900) had the highest employment level in Kentucky in March 2026. Together, the four largest counties accounted for 43.6 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 376 largest counties comprise 73.5 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2025.)

Average weekly wage gains in all four large counties in Kentucky were below the national average of 3.9 percent. (See chart 2.) Jefferson had the largest gain (+3.4 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among the other three large Kentucky counties ranged from 2.7 percent to 1.9 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Kentucky, first quarter 2026

County	Percent change, first quarter 2026
Jefferson	3.4
Fayette	2.7
Boone	1.9
Kenton	1.9

Weekly wages in all four large counties in Kentucky were below the national average of $1,654. Average weekly wages ranged from $1,540 in Jefferson to $1,184 in Boone.

Statewide, average weekly wages increased 2.9 percent over the year to $1,248. Kentucky ranked 45th in average weekly wages among the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 43rd in wage growth.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 116 smaller counties in Kentucky, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2025. (See table 2.)  Wage levels in 115 of the 116 smaller counties were below the national average. Hancock reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,780) in the state. Nicholas reported the lowest average weekly wage ($705).

Among all 120 Kentucky counties, 14 reported average weekly wages less than $825, 35 had wages from $825 to $924, 25 had wages from $925 to $1,024, 20 had wages from $1,025 to $1,124, and 26 had average weekly wages of $1,125 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)

QCEW data for all states have been included in this release in table 3.

Nationwide coverage of the largest counties is published in the County Employment and Wages news release. Additional information about quarterly employment and wages data is available in the news release Technical Note and from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

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The County Employment and Wages release for the second quarter 2026 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, December 2, 2026.