Laurel County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Laurel County, Kentucky has a population of 62,983 across 434 square miles, up 1.2 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $2.97 bn in 2024, 1,272 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 28 7(a) approvals worth $16.8 m.
117 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Laurel County
How many people live in Laurel County
- Population62,983
- Households23,996
- Average household size2.62
- Median household income$57,771
- Median age40.1
- Median gross rent$813 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$159,500
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over43,794
- Population under 1814,265
- Share under 1822.6 percent
- Population 65 and over10,779
- Share 65 and over17.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6437,939
- Civilian labor force27,635
- Unemployment rate3.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.7 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties15th of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents866th
Laurel County is the 15th largest of 120 Kentucky 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 22.6 percent against 17.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Laurel County
Is Laurel County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.18 percent
- Census 2020 base population62,614
- Births, 2024710
- Deaths, 2024765
- Natural change, 2024-55
- Net domestic migration, 20240
- Net international migration, 202452
- Total net migration, 202452
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,009
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1423rd
The county has grown 1.18 percent 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.
Laurel County
Where people moving to Laurel County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,365
- People arriving, from those returns2,698
- Adjusted gross income arriving$57.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$42,098
- Largest single originLaurel County Non-migrants (19,774 households)
- Largest single destination (19,774 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel County Non-migrants | 19,774 | 43,208 | $1.22 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 368 | 694 | $19.0 m |
| Whitley County | 259 | 572 | $9.0 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 194 | 354 | $8.0 m |
| Knox County | 188 | 383 | $7.0 m |
| Other flows - South | 159 | 288 | $7.7 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 115 | 217 | $4.7 m |
| Clay County | 112 | 245 | $4.0 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Laurel 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.
Laurel County
What the Laurel County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$2.97 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.83 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.7 percent
- GDP change over five years28.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among Kentucky counties19th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents988th
- GDP per resident$47,113
Output grew 4.7 percent in the latest year and 28.5 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.
Laurel County
Who employs people in Laurel County
- Covered employment, annual average26,264
- Establishments reporting1,793
- Average annual pay$48,566
- Average weekly wage$934
- Sector 31-33, employment3,669
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$56,293
- Sector 44-45, employment3,646
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$34,966
- Sector 62, employment3,488
- Sector 62, average annual pay$53,552
- Sector 56, employment3,269
- Sector 56, average annual pay$42,892
- Sector 48-49, employment2,474
- Sector 72, employment2,262
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 3,669 | 59 | $56,293 |
| Sector 44-45 | 3,646 | 294 | $34,966 |
| Sector 62 | 3,488 | 388 | $53,552 |
| Sector 56 | 3,269 | 85 | $42,892 |
| Sector 48-49 | 2,474 | 84 | $56,590 |
| Sector 72 | 2,262 | 107 | $20,881 |
| Sector 23 | 888 | 124 | $77,617 |
| Sector 42 | 773 | 76 | $67,442 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 3,669 jobs, 14.0 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.
Laurel County
What businesses operate in Laurel County
- Establishments, all industries1,272
- Employment at those establishments23,992
- Annual payroll$1.09 bn
- 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.
Laurel County
What is being built in Laurel County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202416
- Declared construction value permitted$2.7 m
- Single family units authorised10
- Multifamily units authorised6
- Multifamily share of units37.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$171,813
- Units authorised per 1,000 households0.7
Multifamily is 37.5 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Laurel County
How much SBA lending happens in Laurel County
- 7(a) approvals recorded28
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$16.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$598,768
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,300,000
- Largest single approval$3,250,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)313
- Jobs per approval11.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active14
- Distinct industries receiving approvals22
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer21.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter21
- Franchise loans8
- Franchise share of approvals28.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (4)
- Most active lenderCommunity Trust Bank, Inc. (5)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$7.5 m
- Average 504 approval$1,508,800
- Median 504 approval$1,072,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval68.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved45.2
- Most active CDCCommunity Ventures Corporation (3)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals84.8 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$24.3 m
The average approval of $598,768 sits well above the median of $150,000, 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 21.4 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.
Laurel County
Do SBA loans in Laurel County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure20
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Paid in full3
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 3 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.
Laurel County
Which parts of Laurel County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending3
- LONDON, approvals25
- CORBIN, approvals2
- KEAVY, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| LONDON | 25 | $15,862,700 |
| CORBIN | 2 | $752,800 |
| KEAVY | 1 | $150,000 |
LONDON accounts for 25 approvals against 2 in CORBIN. 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.
Laurel County
How big is Laurel County
- Land area434 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties25th of 120
- Width, east to west27.4 mi
- Height, north to south26.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land145
- Establishments per square mile2.93
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 Laurel 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 Laurel County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population62,983
- Households23,996
- Average household size2.62
- Median household income$57,771
- Median age40.1
Common questions
Laurel County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Laurel County, Kentucky?
62,983, in 23,996 households, ranking 15th of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Laurel County growing?
The population has grown 1.18 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 710 births against 765 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 Laurel County?
$57,771. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $159,500, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $813 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Laurel County?
1,272 establishments, employing 23,992 people with an annual payroll of $1.09 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Laurel County?
Average annual pay is $48,566, or $934 a week, across 26,264 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Laurel County?
28 7(a) approvals totalling $16.8 m since FY2020, across 14 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 5 504 approvals worth $7.5 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Laurel County?
16 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $2.7 m. Multifamily was 37.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Laurel County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Laurel County come from?
The largest single origin is Laurel County Non-migrants, with 19,774 households. Arriving households report an average income of $42,098 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 Laurel 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 Laurel 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.