Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Salary in Kentucky
The median for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand in Kentucky is $42,770 a year, somewhat above the national $40,240 (+6%); the state ranks 18th of 51 states by median. That is 9% less than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Kentucky pays more than every neighbouring state: Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia, Missouri, Tennessee and West Virginia range from $36,990 in West Virginia to $41,340 in Indiana. Kentucky employs 57,930 laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, 29.0 per 1,000 jobs, the 17th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.53 means the occupation is more concentrated in Kentucky than nationally.
Kentucky vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $14.85 | $17.07 | $20.56 | $22.51 | $23.92 | $20.17 | 57,930 | 28.96 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $30,890 | $35,510 | $42,770 | $46,830 | $49,750 | $41,960 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.03 | $17.35 | $19.35 | $22.56 | $26.51 | $20.32 | 2,950,280 | – | – |
| Annual | $31,270 | $36,090 | $40,240 | $46,920 | $55,140 | $42,260 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 18th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 17th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.53
- Jobs per 1,000
- 28.96
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Kentucky's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Kentucky
9 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Kentucky publish a row for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $22.51 | $46,830 | $35,190 | $51,200 | 29,400 | 42.91 | 2.26 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $20.15 | $41,910 | $31,330 | $49,120 | 5,500 | 19.15 | 1.01 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $19.35 | $40,240 | $31,690 | $50,530 | 22,910 | 20.81 | 1.10 |
| Owensboro, KY | $18.94 | $39,380 | $29,590 | $60,700 | 1,130 | 22.88 | 1.21 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $18.32 | $38,110 | $29,070 | $47,990 | 940 | 18.75 | 0.99 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $18.29 | $38,040 | $29,590 | $52,080 | 2,070 | 25.16 | 1.33 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $17.82 | $37,070 | $29,380 | $47,890 | 2,580 | 25.03 | 1.32 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $17.68 | $36,780 | $28,400 | $48,930 | 700 | 13.49 | 0.71 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $17.36 | $36,120 | $27,850 | $48,090 | 2,240 | 15.94 | 0.84 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $18.34 | $38,140 | $28,360 | $53,190 | 3,250 | 25.27 | 1.33 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $17.54 | $36,480 | $28,320 | $48,290 | 3,500 | 20.24 | 1.07 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $17.48 | $36,350 | $27,770 | $48,720 | 3,350 | 19.49 | 1.03 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $15.91 | $33,090 | $24,620 | $46,160 | 890 | 9.71 | 0.51 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $20.56 | $42,770 | 57,930 | 1.53 |
| Illinois | $19.50 | $40,550 | 195,390 | 1.69 |
| Indiana | $19.87 | $41,340 | 103,200 | 1.70 |
| Missouri | $18.79 | $39,080 | 43,050 | 0.77 |
| Ohio | $18.97 | $39,460 | 108,830 | 1.03 |
| Tennessee | $18.35 | $38,160 | 105,870 | 1.70 |
| Virginia | $18.94 | $39,380 | 58,000 | 0.74 |
| West Virginia | $17.79 | $36,990 | 11,300 | 0.85 |
See the national page for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand (every state ranked) and the Kentucky wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Kentucky estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.