June 2025 

Author: Simona Balazs, Blueprint KY Research Director 

Questions this County Data Profile can help you answer: 

• What are the characteristics of small businesses in your county? 
• How has the number of small businesses changed in the past years? 
• What is the distribution of small businesses and employment by firm size? 
• Are there more self-employed establishments than medium-sized one? 
• How the county compares to the state in business innovation? 

Data that this County Profile provides:

Small Business Characteristics: 

Total Establishments: Total number of small businesses in the county (i.e., establishments with fewer than 500 employees, including self-employed) 

Establishments Gained: Total number of establishments increased in the year, due to business startups or moved in. 

Establishments Lost: Total number of businesses lost in the year, due to business closings or moved out. 

Total Jobs: Total number of jobs (full-time, part-time, temporary) for all small business establishments, including non-profit and government. 

Jobs Gained: Total number of jobs gained in the year, due to business startups, expansions or moved in. 

Jobs Lost: Total number of jobs lost in the year, due to business closings, contractions or moved out. 

Total Sales: Total receipts from small business activity.

Establishments by Year: 

This graph illustrates the number of small business establishments from 2016 to 2024. For many of the counties the data depicts a decline in the number of establishments during COVID-19. 

Establishment Size Characteristics: 

This table provides a disaggregated look at employment and establishments by small business size. 

2023 Innovation Index: 

The Innovation Intelligence Index measures a region’s innovation activity and capacity by using five major component measures: Human Capital and Knowledge Creation, Business Dynamics, Business Profile, Employment and Productivity, and Economic Well-Being. Human Capital and Knowledge Creation considers educational attainment, the population growth rate, occupational mix, number of patents, and employment in high-technology firms. The Business Dynamics area includes measures of establishment formation through startups, expansion, and contraction. Business Profile incorporates measures of investment in venture capital, availability of broadband internet, proprietor wages and salaries, and foreign investment. Productivity and Employment reflects growth of high-tech employment, job growth relative to population growth, and growth of the county’s GDP. Finally, Economic Well-Being is based on the poverty rate, unemployment rate, residential broadband infrastructure, and growth in income per capita. Innovation is important for the economy because it can be found behind every successful startup and growing small business. The Innovation Intelligence Index is provided by statsamerica.org compiling county, state, and U.S data. Additional information can be found here. 

Data Sources: 

Statsamerica.org, 2023, https://www.statsamerica.org/innovation/ii3.aspx 

YourEconomy.org, 2024, https://youreconomy.org/