Among Kentucky’s three largest counties, employment increased in Jefferson (+0.8 percent) and Fayette (+0.6 percent) from June 2023 to June 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are the 369 U.S. counties or county equivalents with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.) Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that employment in Boone County declined 1.1 percent over the same period. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Kentucky, June 2024

County	Percent change, June 2024
Jefferson	0.8
Fayette	0.6
Boone	-1.1

National employment increased 0.8 percent over the year, with 259 of the 355 largest U.S. counties with published data reporting gains. Kings, NY, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 4.0 percent. Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-3.0 percent).

Among the three largest counties in Kentucky, employment was highest in Jefferson County (487,100) in June 2024. Within Jefferson County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the three largest Kentucky counties accounted for 39.5 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprised 73.1 percent of total covered employment in the United States.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 117 counties in Kentucky with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 114 of the 117 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,390 in the second quarter of 2024. (See table 2.)

All three large Kentucky counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2024. (See chart 2.) Jefferson County had the largest gain (+4.8 percent), followed by Boone County (+4.3 percent) and Fayette County (+2.7 percent).

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Kentucky, second quarter 2024

County	Percent change, second quarter 2024
Jefferson	4.8
Boone	4.3
Fayette	2.7

Nationwide, wages increased by 4.4 percent over the year. Among the 351 largest counties in the United States with published data, 348 had over-the-year wage increases. Hamilton, IN, had the largest percentage wage increase (+33.4 percent). Essex, MA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-2.1 percent).

Weekly wages in all of Kentucky’s three largest counties were below the national average of $1,390 in the second quarter of 2024. Jefferson had the highest average weekly wage ($1,343) among Kentucky’s largest counties.

Among the 360 largest U.S. counties with published data, 87 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2024. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,632). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 273 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($820).

Among the 117 smaller counties in Kentucky—those with employment below 75,000—three reported an average weekly wage above the national average: Hancock ($1,533), Scott ($1,492), and Carroll ($1,409). Nicholas County ($720) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 120 counties in Kentucky were considered, 27 reported average weekly wages of less than $850, 37 registered wages from $850 to $949, 29 had wages from $950 to $1,049, 13 had wages from $1,050 to $1,149, and 14 had average weekly wages of $1,150 or higher. (See map 1.)