Employment in two of Kentucky’s three largest counties increased from March 2024 to March 2025, according to a report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee stated, “Boone County had the larger over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 1.3 percent.”
Among these counties, Jefferson reported the highest employment level in March 2025 with 478,100 jobs. Combined, Boone, Fayette, and Jefferson accounted for nearly 40 percent of all covered employment in Kentucky during this period. Nationally, large counties—those with at least 75,000 employees—make up more than 73 percent of total covered employment across the United States.
All three large Kentucky counties saw their average weekly wages rise over the year. Fayette County experienced the biggest wage growth at 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 had the highest among them at $1,485; Fayette and Boone followed with $1,300 and $1,156 respectively.
Data on employment and wage levels are also available for Kentucky’s smaller counties—those employing fewer than 75,000 people as of 2024. Of these 117 small counties, all but one reported average weekly wages below the national figure. Hancock County stood out with an average weekly wage of $1,750—the highest among small counties—while Nicholas County recorded the lowest at $699.
Across all Kentucky’s 120 counties: sixteen reported average weekly wages under $800; thirty-four fell between $800 and $899; twenty-seven were between $900 and $999; nineteen ranged from $1,000 to $1,099; and twenty-four reported wages of $1,100 or higher.
Further details about quarterly employment and wage data can be found through resources such as the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website or in technical notes accompanying official releases from the Bureau.
The next release covering second quarter data for 2025 is scheduled for December 3.
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