Whitley County, Indiana: commercial real estate data.
Whitley County, Indiana has a population of 34,618 across 336 square miles, up 2.0 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $2.23 bn in 2024, 699 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 38 7(a) approvals worth $14.3 m.
122 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Whitley County
How many people live in Whitley County
- Population34,618
- Households14,029
- Average household size2.47
- Median household income$78,083
- Median age41.3
- Median gross rent$934 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$219,400
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher23.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over24,203
- Population under 187,896
- Share under 1822.8 percent
- Population 65 and over6,642
- Share 65 and over19.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6420,080
- Civilian labor force18,110
- Unemployment rate3.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.8 percent
- Rank by population among Indiana counties47th of 92
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1349th
Whitley County is the 47th largest of 92 Indiana counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.8 percent against 19.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Whitley County
Is Whitley County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.04 percent
- Census 2020 base population34,188
- Births, 2024392
- Deaths, 2024342
- Natural change, 202450
- Net domestic migration, 202443
- Net international migration, 20249
- Total net migration, 202452
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024465
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1159th
The county has grown 2.04 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Whitley County
Where people moving to Whitley County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving921
- People arriving, from those returns1,669
- Adjusted gross income arriving$53.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$57,704
- Largest single originWhitley County Non-migrants (13,923 households)
- Largest single destination (13,923 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitley County Non-migrants | 13,923 | 28,720 | $1.14 bn |
| Allen County | 361 | 637 | $22.6 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 151 | 279 | $8.6 m |
| Kosciusko County | 114 | 215 | $7.1 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 112 | 200 | $5.9 m |
| Noble County | 90 | 174 | $4.1 m |
| Other flows - South | 60 | 102 | $3.1 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 49 | 100 | $2.9 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Whitley 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.
Whitley County
What the Whitley County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$2.23 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.27 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-1.9 percent
- GDP change over five years44.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among Indiana counties42nd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1189th
- GDP per resident$64,304
Output grew -1.9 percent in the latest year and 44.8 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.
Whitley County
Who employs people in Whitley County
- Covered employment, annual average13,958
- Establishments reporting764
- Average annual pay$58,376
- Average weekly wage$1,123
- Sector 31-33, employment5,977
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$73,516
- Sector 44-45, employment1,262
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$40,155
- Sector 72, employment870
- Sector 72, average annual pay$17,684
- Sector 23, employment650
- Sector 23, average annual pay$73,601
- Sector 81, employment595
- Sector 42, employment484
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 5,977 | 77 | $73,516 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,262 | 89 | $40,155 |
| Sector 72 | 870 | 58 | $17,684 |
| Sector 23 | 650 | 90 | $73,601 |
| Sector 81 | 595 | 68 | $30,907 |
| Sector 42 | 484 | 49 | $78,793 |
| Sector 56 | 393 | 43 | $51,040 |
| Sector 52 | 199 | 50 | $68,462 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 5,977 jobs, 42.8 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.
Whitley County
What businesses operate in Whitley County
- Establishments, all industries699
- Employment at those establishments12,810
- Annual payroll$725.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.2
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.
Whitley County
What is being built in Whitley County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024100
- Declared construction value permitted$29.6 m
- Single family units authorised72
- Multifamily units authorised28
- Multifamily share of units28.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$296,081
- Units authorised per 1,000 households7.1
Multifamily is 28.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Whitley County
How much SBA lending happens in Whitley County
- 7(a) approvals recorded38
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$14.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$377,055
- Median 7(a) approval$132,500
- 10th percentile approval$19,900
- 90th percentile approval$781,200
- Largest single approval$4,250,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)434
- Jobs per approval11.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active14
- Distinct industries receiving approvals25
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer15.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter30
- Franchise loans4
- Franchise share of approvals10.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLandscaping Services (4)
- Most active lender1st Source Bank (12)
- 504 approvals recorded15
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.8 m
- Average 504 approval$321,867
- Median 504 approval$188,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval6.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved21.3
- Most active CDCCommunity Development Corporation of Fort Wayne (10)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals71.7 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$19.2 m
The average approval of $377,055 sits well above the median of $132,500, 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. Only 15.8 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
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.
Whitley County
Do SBA loans in Whitley County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded11
- Paid in full11
- Charged off0
- Charge off rate on resolved loans0.0 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure23
- Status: Paid in full11
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Of the 11 loans that have reached a final outcome, 0.0 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Whitley County
Which parts of Whitley County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending6
- Columbia City, approvals26
- HUNTINGTON, approvals4
- CHURUBUSCO, approvals3
- LARWILL, approvals3
- Churbusco, approvals1
- South Whitely, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia City | 26 | $11,708,600 |
| HUNTINGTON | 4 | $925,200 |
| CHURUBUSCO | 3 | $428,000 |
| LARWILL | 3 | $443,300 |
| Churbusco | 1 | $665,000 |
| South Whitely | 1 | $158,000 |
Columbia City accounts for 26 approvals against 4 in HUNTINGTON. 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.
Whitley County
How big is Whitley County
- Land area336 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Indiana counties72nd of 92
- Width, east to west19.7 mi
- Height, north to south20.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land103
- Establishments per square mile2.08
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.
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.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- 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 Whitley 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 Whitley County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population34,618
- Households14,029
- Average household size2.47
- Median household income$78,083
- Median age41.3
Common questions
Whitley County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Whitley County, Indiana?
34,618, in 14,029 households, ranking 47th of 92 Indiana counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Whitley County growing?
The population has grown 2.04 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 392 births against 342 deaths, with net migration of 52. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Whitley County?
$78,083. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $219,400, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $934 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Whitley County?
699 establishments, employing 12,810 people with an annual payroll of $725.4 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 Whitley County?
Average annual pay is $58,376, or $1,123 a week, across 13,958 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Whitley County?
38 7(a) approvals totalling $14.3 m since FY2020, across 14 lenders, with a median approval of $132,500, plus 15 504 approvals worth $4.8 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Whitley County get paid back?
Of the 11 loans that have reached a final outcome, 11 were paid in full and 0 charged off, a charge off rate of 0.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Whitley County?
100 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $29.6 m. Multifamily was 28.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Whitley 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 Whitley County come from?
The largest single origin is Whitley County Non-migrants, with 13,923 households. Arriving households report an average income of $57,704 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 Whitley 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 Whitley 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.