How Amazon is investing in Kentucky

Key takeaways

Amazon has invested more than $75 billion in Kentucky and contributed over $55 billion to the state's economy since 2010.
The company has more than 19,000 full- and part-time employees and supports more than 30,000 indirect jobs.
Amazon partners with 11 educational institutions in Kentucky through its Career Choice program and has upskilled over 4,000 employees since 2019.
More than 17 million items were sold by Kentucky-based independent sellers through Amazon's store.

For more than 30 years, Amazon has been investing across the United States, strengthening local economies, and creating opportunities for communities nationwide. Kentucky is a prime example of this commitment, with Amazon building a substantial presence in the state since 1999.

Three Amazon employees stand in front of an Amazon Air cargo aircraft at the Amazon Air Hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

Amazon employees at the Amazon Air Hub in Northern Kentucky, where the company has invested $1.5 billion and employs more than 2,000 people with competitive wages and comprehensive benefits from Day 1.

Today, Kentucky serves as a major innovation and logistics hub, with investments spanning fulfillment centers and delivery stations to an Amazon Air Hub and solar farms. The company's economic impact extends beyond direct employment, supporting tens of thousands of additional jobs in construction, logistics, and professional services, and helping local businesses reach customers around the world.

Here are five ways Amazon is investing in Kentucky:

1. Building infrastructure across the Bluegrass State

Since 2010, Amazon has invested more than $75 billion in Kentucky's infrastructure and employee compensation, contributing more than $55 billion to the state's gross domestic product.

Kentucky is home to the Amazon Air Hub, our 800,000-square-foot hub of operations that connects us to customers across the country. Our investments also include 12 fulfillment and sortation centers, five delivery stations, and three rural delivery stations.

The company has expanded its retail footprint with two Whole Foods Market locations in Kentucky and invested in renewable energy with four solar farms and three sites with on-site solar.

2. Empowering Kentucky's small businesses

Amazon provides a powerful opportunity for Kentucky's entrepreneurs and small businesses to reach customers worldwide. Kentucky-based independent sellers—primarily small and medium-sized businesses—sold more than 17 million items through Amazon's store, with the average seller generating more than $210,000 in annual sales.

Paula Blankenship, founder of Heirloom Traditions Paint, sitting at her desk in her office in Taylorsville, Kentucky.

Paula Blankenship, founder of Heirloom Traditions Paint, at her office in Taylorsville, Kentucky. Her company generates $30 million in annual revenue and employs 53 people in Spencer County.

These independent sellers represent more than 60% of sales in Amazon's store. Their success contributes significantly to local economies, with more than 65% of U.S. independent sellers employing at least one person within 50 miles of their primary business location.

By providing infrastructure, logistics support, and access to millions of customers, Amazon enables Kentucky's small businesses to scale their operations and create additional jobs throughout the state.

3. Investing in our employees

Amazon provides competitive wages and comprehensive benefits from Day 1. Operations employees in customer fulfillment and transportation earn an average hourly base wage of more than $23, with total compensation averaging more than $30 an hour when including benefits.

These benefits include health, vision, and dental insurance starting on Day 1, free mental health resources, up to 20 weeks of fully paid parental leave, a 401(k) with 50% company match, and flexible time-off options that increase with tenure.

A split image. The image on the left shows a woman standing in front of a Prime Air plane smiling for a photo while wearing a safety vest. The image on the left shows a man smiling for a photo while wearing a safety vest in front of a Prime Air plane.

Amazon Air ramp employees pose in front of Prime Air aircraft at KCVG.

Beyond more than 19,000 direct jobs, Amazon's presence in Kentucky supports more than 30,000 indirect jobs in industries such as construction, logistics, and professional services—suppliers and partners whom we rely on every day.

4. Supporting workforce development and upskilling

Amazon is committed to preparing its workforce for future opportunities through comprehensive education and skills training programs. Since 2019, more than 4,000 Kentucky employees have participated in these free initiatives.

In Kentucky, Amazon partners with 11 educational institutions through its Career Choice program, which prepays 100% of tuition for employees pursuing further education. These partnerships with colleges and universities across the state help Amazon employees gain in-demand skills that can propel them into new careers.

From Machine Learning University to Career Choice, these programs represent Amazon's investment in developing talent and creating pathways to opportunity for its workforce.

5. Investing as a good neighbor

Amazon uses its global scale and strengths to make a positive impact in communities. Working with trusted community partners, we address critical needs—food security, education, disaster relief—using our logistics, technology, and innovation, while investing as a good neighbor in the communities where our employees live and work.

Amazon employees volunteering at the Freestore Foodbank in Cincinnati, boxing food for families in need.

Amazon employees volunteer at the Freestore Foodbank in Cincinnati, which serves nine northern Kentucky counties. The company's Community Delivery Program has provided more than 1.5 million meals to at-risk families since 2021.

Amazon has delivered more than 1 million meals on behalf of food banks and nonprofits across Kentucky and contributed more than 6,000 disaster relief items to communities in need. The company has reached more than 10,000 students and 800 teachers through education programs and supported more than 200,000 computer science learning hours. More than 2,000 Amazon employees have volunteered in communities across Kentucky.

Amazon's investment in Kentucky reflects the company's broader commitment to creating economic opportunity across America. Through job creation, workforce development, infrastructure investments, and small business support, Amazon continues to partner with communities throughout the Bluegrass State to build a stronger, more resilient local economy.

Read more about how Amazon is and the U.S.