Knox County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Knox County, Illinois has a population of 49,046 across 716 square miles, down 2.5 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $2.45 bn in 2024, 968 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 26 7(a) approvals worth $24.6 m.
126 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Knox County
How many people live in Knox County
- Population49,046
- Households20,972
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$57,030
- Median age42.6
- Median gross rent$788 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$111,900
- Home value to household income2.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over34,285
- Population under 189,907
- Share under 1820.2 percent
- Population 65 and over10,907
- Share 65 and over22.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6428,232
- Civilian labor force22,264
- Unemployment rate5.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.9 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties29th of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1026th
Knox County is the 29th largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 2.0 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.2 percent against 20.2 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Knox County
Is Knox County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.51 percent
- Census 2020 base population49,970
- Births, 2024485
- Deaths, 2024706
- Natural change, 2024-221
- Net domestic migration, 2024-107
- Net international migration, 2024380
- Total net migration, 2024273
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-1,025
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2634th
The county has lost 2.51 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Knox County
Where people moving to Knox County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving860
- People arriving, from those returns1,499
- Adjusted gross income arriving$42.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$49,035
- Largest single originKnox County Non-migrants (18,551 households)
- Largest single destination (18,551 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County Non-migrants | 18,551 | 35,525 | $1.20 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 309 | 543 | $13.1 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 160 | 260 | $8.7 m |
| Other flows - South | 124 | 228 | $5.0 m |
| Warren County | 117 | 207 | $4.6 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 114 | 189 | $5.5 m |
| Peoria County | 87 | 152 | $4.8 m |
| Other flows - West | 71 | 126 | $2.7 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Knox County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Knox County
What the Knox County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$2.45 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.31 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.9 percent
- GDP change over five years36.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among Illinois counties32nd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1114th
- GDP per resident$49,926
Output grew 5.9 percent in the latest year and 36.0 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Knox County
Who employs people in Knox County
- Covered employment, annual average17,106
- Establishments reporting980
- Average annual pay$46,491
- Average weekly wage$894
- Sector 44-45, employment2,362
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$30,856
- Sector 72, employment1,579
- Sector 72, average annual pay$20,595
- Sector 31-33, employment1,251
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$61,285
- Sector 56, employment739
- Sector 56, average annual pay$43,966
- Sector 42, employment650
- Sector 81, employment538
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 44-45 | 2,362 | 133 | $30,856 |
| Sector 72 | 1,579 | 120 | $20,595 |
| Sector 31-33 | 1,251 | 41 | $61,285 |
| Sector 56 | 739 | 49 | $43,966 |
| Sector 42 | 650 | 47 | $71,357 |
| Sector 81 | 538 | 86 | $36,037 |
| Sector 23 | 530 | 77 | $62,123 |
| Sector 52 | 298 | 52 | $64,021 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 2,362 jobs, 13.8 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Knox County
What businesses operate in Knox County
- Establishments, all industries968
- Employment at those establishments14,242
- Annual payroll$572.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Knox County
What is being built in Knox County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20242
- Declared construction value permitted$350,000
- Single family units authorised2
- Multifamily units authorised0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$175,000
- Units authorised per 1,000 households0.1
Multifamily is 0.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Knox County
How much SBA lending happens in Knox County
- 7(a) approvals recorded26
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$24.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$944,481
- Median 7(a) approval$414,200
- 10th percentile approval$26,900
- 90th percentile approval$3,108,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)265
- Jobs per approval10.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active16
- Distinct industries receiving approvals21
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer42.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms11
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter14
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals23.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (4)
- Most active lenderFirst Mid Bank & Trust, National Association (4)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$344,000
- Average 504 approval$172,000
- Median 504 approval$251,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval2.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.6
- Most active CDCIllinois Business Financial Services (1)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals92.9 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$24.9 m
The average approval of $944,481 sits well above the median of $414,200, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. 42.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Knox County
Do SBA loans in Knox County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full4
- Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure16
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Charged off1
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 5 resolved loans, too few to publish a rate. A rate computed on a handful of loans is noise, so none is shown.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Knox County
Which parts of Knox County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending6
- GALESBURG, approvals21
- ALTONA, approvals1
- DUNEDIN, approvals1
- Gatesburg, approvals1
- East Galesburg, approvals1
- Rio, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| GALESBURG | 21 | $20,773,500 |
| ALTONA | 1 | $525,000 |
| DUNEDIN | 1 | $5,000 |
| Gatesburg | 1 | $3,108,000 |
| East Galesburg | 1 | $75,000 |
| Rio | 1 | $70,000 |
GALESBURG accounts for 21 approvals against 1 in ALTONA. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Knox County
How big is Knox County
- Land area716 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties21st of 102
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south30.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land69
- Establishments per square mile1.35
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Knox County
What hazards affect Knox County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book11
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- NFIP participation rate90.9 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Knox County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Knox County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population49,046
- Households20,972
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$57,030
- Median age42.6
Common questions
Knox County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Knox County, Illinois?
49,046, in 20,972 households, ranking 29th of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Knox County growing?
The population has fallen 2.51 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 485 births against 706 deaths, with net migration of 273. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Knox County?
$57,030. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $111,900, which is 2.0 times income, and median gross rent is $788 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Knox County?
968 establishments, employing 14,242 people with an annual payroll of $572.3 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Knox County?
Average annual pay is $46,491, or $894 a week, across 17,106 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Knox County?
26 7(a) approvals totalling $24.6 m since FY2020, across 16 lenders, with a median approval of $414,200, plus 2 504 approvals worth $344,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Knox County?
2 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $350,000. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Knox County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Knox County come from?
The largest single origin is Knox County Non-migrants, with 18,551 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,035 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Knox County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Knox County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.