NAICS 52

Finance and Insurance in Kentucky: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 40.0 (Moderate), ranked #3 of 51 states. 8,774 establishments, 72,638 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 40.0
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national finance and insurance average.

🛡️Stable Market

Kentucky exhibits structural stability in finance and insurance, with volatility at 13.6 and firm retention ranking in the top 10. These metrics suggest lower cyclical risk compared to the national baseline.

5-Year Firm Retention
90.2%
Percentile within industry
Rank #6 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
13.7
Scale of 0-100
Rank #39 of 51 states
Establishment Density
40.3
vs. national average
Rank #26 of 51 states
Market Volatility
13.6
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
49.5
Labor cost pressure

8,774 Establishments in Kentucky

8,774
Establishments
+3.4% YoY
72,638
Total Employment
-0.6% YoY
$92,474
Average Annual Wage
+3.9% YoY

Kentucky vs National Finance and Insurance Average

How Kentucky's finance and insurance market compares to the national average across all 51 states.

Metric KY National Difference
Entry Risk Score 40.0 51.9 -11.9
5-Year Retention 90.2% 51.0% +39.2
Growth Momentum 13.7 34.4 -20.7
Market Volatility 13.6 9.6 +4.0
Establishment Density 40.3 42.5 -2.2
Wage Pressure 49.5 66.8 -17.3

Green = favorable vs national average. Red = less favorable. Metrics are relative within finance and insurance only.

Kentucky Ranks #3 of 51 for Finance and Insurance

Kentucky ranks #3 out of 51 states for finance and insurance market entry conditions.

Finance and Insurance Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 Hawaii 37.0 moderate
#2 West Virginia 39.8 moderate
#3 Kentucky You 40.0 moderate
#4 Rhode Island 41.9 moderate
#5 Maine 42.0 elevated
Entry Risk by State Alaska — 49.7 · #21 Alabama — 48.4 · #18 Arkansas — 44.7 · #7 Arizona — 52.6 · #29 California — 46.9 · #12 Colorado — 67.3 · #50 Connecticut — 73.7 · #51 District of Columbia — 47.9 · #13 Delaware — 57.7 · #44 Florida — 61.9 · #46 Georgia — 56.4 · #40 Hawaii — 37.0 · #1 Iowa — 54.3 · #35 Idaho — 56.2 · #39 Illinois — 46.2 · #10 Indiana — 45.4 · #9 Kansas — 57.0 · #42 Kentucky — 40.0 · #3 Louisiana — 42.0 · #6 Massachusetts — 48.2 · #15 Maryland — 52.6 · #30 Maine — 42.0 · #5 Michigan — 49.8 · #23 Minnesota — 46.6 · #11 Missouri — 57.7 · #43 Mississippi — 54.5 · #36 Montana — 59.0 · #45 North Carolina — 48.4 · #17 North Dakota — 52.1 · #28 Nebraska — 49.4 · #20 New Hampshire — 49.8 · #22 New Jersey — 53.2 · #32 New Mexico — 53.1 · #31 Nevada — 55.6 · #38 New York — 65.4 · #49 Ohio — 48.2 · #14 Oklahoma — 64.9 · #48 Oregon — 56.7 · #41 Pennsylvania — 48.8 · #19 Rhode Island — 41.9 · #4 South Carolina — 48.4 · #16 South Dakota — 50.1 · #24 Tennessee — 53.4 · #33 Texas — 50.4 · #25 Utah — 51.9 · #27 Virginia — 50.8 · #26 Vermont — 53.6 · #34 Washington — 55.5 · #37 Wisconsin — 45.3 · #8 West Virginia — 39.8 · #2 Wyoming — 62.0 · #47
Low Moderate Elevated High

Tap a state to view details

About Entry Risk Score: A weighted composite of firm retention, growth momentum, market volatility, establishment density, and wage pressure. Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: February 2026. Next refresh expected: Q2 2026 (BLS QCEW update).

Compare to Another State

How does Kentucky stack up against other states for finance and insurance?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Finance and Insurance in Neighboring States

How Kentucky's finance and insurance market compares to bordering states.

West Virginia 39.8 #2/51 Indiana 45.4 #9/51 Illinois 46.2 #10/51 Ohio 48.2 #14/51 Virginia 50.8 #26/51 Tennessee 53.4 #33/51 Missouri 57.7 #43/51

Other Industries in Kentucky

Construction → Healthcare and Social Assistance → Retail Trade → Accommodation and Food Services → Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services → Real Estate and Rental and Leasing → Administrative and Support Services → Information → Other Services →