Lexington Business 101

The top industries and employers in the Lexington metro area

Lexington was listed No. 14 on SmartAsset’s list of Best Places for Career Opportunities. | Photo by @thedronerangerky

More than 685,000 people (and thousands of businesses) contribute to the Lexington metro area’s $30 billion economy. But have you ever wondered about the Horse Capital of the World’s heaviest hitters?

Consider this Lexington Business 101 — your guide to our region’s seven key industries and 12 major employers.

Note: When we say the Lexington metro area, that refers to Bourbon, Clark, Fayette, Franklin, Jessamine, Madison, Montgomery, Scott, and Woodford counties.

The key industries

There are seven key industries that represent ~72% of the Lexington metro area’s economy, based on data from Commerce Lexington. We’ve listed them in order of employment numbers.

Healthcare and social assistance | 14.8% or 52,980 employees
UK Healthcare, Baptist Health, CHI Saint Joseph Health, and Veterans — along with their regional hospitals and offices — take the lion’s share of this sector’s employment.

Manufacturing | 11.8% or 42,275 employees
The Bluegrass Region is home to manufacturing companies such as Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Lockheed Martin, and Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas Inc. This sector also includes some of the highest wage-payers in the area.

Retail trade | 11.3% or 40,502 employees
Think of your favorite local businesses that keep clothes on our backs, and food and books on our shelves.

A bird's eye view of UK's campus. — Campus view on July 5, 2018. | Photo by Mark Cornelison, UK Photo

Educational services | 10.9% or 38,758 employees
While the University of Kentucky and Fayette County Public Schools top the list, surrounding county school systems — Madison, Scott, and Eastern Kentucky University — are also bringing in some big numbers.

Accommodation and food services | 9.7% or 34,626 employees
With classic Kentucky sites and sounds, like bourbon, basketball, and horse racing, it’s no wonder Lexington is booming with boutique hotels, local restaurants, and more.

Administration and support, waste management and remediation | 7.2% or 25,642 employees
In case you forgot, Lexington metro is home to global, digital waste solutions company Rubicon Waste Management.

Public administration | 6.2% or 22,117 employees
When you account for the federal, state, and local employees across all nine counties in the metro area, plus all the government employees within each city, it adds up to a lot.

NOW SEE WHO’S HIRING

QUIZ

Test your business knowledge: Which company employs the most people globally?

A. Amazon
B. McDonalds
C. Walmart
D. Starbucks

TAKE A GUESS

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Monday, Dec. 19

Action Figure & Comic Exhibition | Monday, Dec. 19 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | The Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center, 300 E. Third St., Lexington | Free | Bring the whole family to celebrate diversity through action figures and comics.

Tuesday, Dec. 20

Holiday Movies: Elf | Tuesday, Dec. 20 | 2-4 p.m. | Central Library, 140 E. Main St., Lexington | Free | Bring the family for an afternoon of festive fun with a showing of this holiday comedy favorite.

Wednesday, Dec. 21

Planetarium Show: Lars the Little Polar Bear | Wednesday, Dec. 21 | 10 a.m. | Living Arts & Science Center, 362 N. Martin Luther King Blvd., Lexington | $5 | Experience the first day of spring through the antics of Lars, a curious little polar bear.

Thursday, Dec. 22

Holiday Lights at the Distillery | Thursday, Dec. 22 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Buffalo Trace Distillery, 113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort | Free | Illuminate your holiday spirit by driving through a special route of colorful light displays.

Friday, Dec. 23

Born Cross Eyed | Friday, Dec. 23 | 7 p.m. | The Burl, 375 Thompson Rd., Lexington | $15 | Get truckin’ down to the Distillery District for this Grateful Dead cover band.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

7 common mistakes when hiring a financial advisor 👀

SmartAsset matches you with vetted financial advisors in your area. | Photo by SmartAsset

Life should be a balance of adventure and relaxation — not balancing finances. Enter: Working with a financial advisor. But choosing the wrong one could potentially wreak havoc on your retirement and investments.

Avoid these 7 common mistakes when hiring a financial advisor so you can get back to the balance that matters most.

Pro tip: For simplicity, try this free tool to get matched with up to three vetted financial advisors serving your area.*

GET STARTED, SMARTIE

Weather

38º | Cloudy | 5% chance of rain

Community

Lexington Parking Authority, known as Lexpark, announced that prices for metered parking will increase an average of 30 cents starting Tuesday, Jan. 3. Additionally, payment will now be enforced Monday-Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Previously, parking was free on Saturdays and after 5 p.m. on weekdays. 🚗 (Lexington Herald-Leader)

Plan Ahead

Everything is Science, the citywide science festival hosted by UK College of Pharmacy and its partners, is returning Monday, Feb. 20-Friday, Feb. 24. “It’s About Time!” will be the theme for the fifth annual event which aims to make science accessible in fun and interactive ways. 🔬 (UK NOW)

Sports

Congratulations to UK sprinter Abby Steiner for winning the top collegiate track and field award — The Bowerman. This year Abby was also named the 2022 USTFCCCA Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, the Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, and the Honda Sports Award for Track and Field. 🏆 (UK Athletics)
The Lexington Legends have hired baseball analyst Barry Lyons as the team’s new manager. He played seven seasons in the major leagues + spent three years as a manager in Minor League Baseball. Don’t forget to share your thoughts about the upcoming season through this survey. ⚾

Feel Good

Wednesday, Dec. 21 is the last day to purchase a ticket for the third annual Dotson Christmas Charity Raffle. Winners will not only get to choose which prize package they want, but they will also decide who receives the money raised from tickets. To participate, visit Woodford Feed Co., 498 Lexington Rd., Versailles. 🎟️ (LEX18)

Shop

Give the gift of a quality shave month after month with a Harry’s trial set and blade subscription. Choose your handle color, refill frequency, and let the good shave days roll in for as little as $5 on sign-up (yes, you heard that right). 🪒*
If you’re looking for a last-minute gift for someone on your list, look no further. Let us introduce you to gift cards from our LEXtoday shop, Six & Main. Purchase a gift card today. 🎁

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Last minute gifts 🎁

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Peace and tranquility await at The Massage Center. | Photo courtesy of @themassagecenter

There may be just five days until Christmas, but — believe it or not — it’s not too late to find some last-minute presents. Instead of paying an arm and a leg for overnight shipping, opt for one of these subscriptions, gift cards, or digital gifts.

The Massage Center gift card ($90-$260 ) | From gentle Swedish to deep tissue massages, give your loved ones the gift of relaxation. 💆

Amazon Prime membership ($14.99/month or $139/year) | Kick someone off the family plan and get them their own Prime membership. Psst — Students get half-off. 📦*

Scott’s Cheap Flights Elite membership ($199/year) | For the travel lover that wants to receive flight deals — like a $600 round trip flight to the Maldives — straight to their inbox. ✈️*

Flaviar subscription ($60/month, $110/three months, or $350/year) | This membership provides the opportunity to taste new, rare, and limited edition spirits. 🥃*

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Molly.

Editor’s pick: I can’t believe it’s the week of my half birthday, I mean Christmas. If you could be gifted any experience in central Kentucky, what would it be?

Maybe a behind-the-scenes tour of Keeneland? Or a trip to a cozy cabin in RRG? Share with me something you’ve been really wanting to try.

Quiz answer: C. Walmart

Missed Friday’s newsletter? Read about predictions for the housing market, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Aaron Mikel, Molly Thompson, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Emily Shea, Britt Thorson | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Marin Fiske | Advertise with us.

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