Lincoln County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Lincoln County, Kentucky has a population of 24,504 across 334 square miles, up 2.6 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $595.6 m in 2024, 304 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 7 7(a) approvals worth $2.4 m.
117 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Lincoln County
How many people live in Lincoln County
- Population24,504
- Households9,705
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$52,440
- Median age40.7
- Median gross rent$698 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$147,300
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher15.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over16,772
- Population under 185,971
- Share under 1824.4 percent
- Population 65 and over4,537
- Share 65 and over18.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6413,996
- Civilian labor force10,151
- Unemployment rate6.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over54.8 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties47th of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1682nd
Lincoln County is the 47th 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 24.4 percent against 18.5 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lincoln County
Is Lincoln County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.62 percent
- Census 2020 base population24,274
- Births, 2024298
- Deaths, 2024361
- Natural change, 2024-63
- Net domestic migration, 2024234
- Net international migration, 2024-2
- Total net migration, 2024232
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024983
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents975th
The county has grown 2.62 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.
Lincoln County
Where people moving to Lincoln County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving627
- People arriving, from those returns1,268
- Adjusted gross income arriving$27.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$43,177
- Largest single originLincoln County Non-migrants (7,882 households)
- Largest single destination (7,882 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County Non-migrants | 7,882 | 17,317 | $413.6 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 131 | 270 | $7.8 m |
| Boyle County | 126 | 251 | $5.3 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 87 | 178 | $3.5 m |
| Other flows - South | 66 | 135 | $3.7 m |
| Casey County | 53 | 98 | $1.6 m |
| Garrard County | 50 | 102 | $1.7 m |
| Other flows - West | 39 | 83 | $2.6 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Lincoln 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.
Lincoln County
What the Lincoln County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$595.6 m
- County GDP, 2023$565.0 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.4 percent
- GDP change over five years36.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among Kentucky counties64th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents2281st
- GDP per resident$24,305
Output grew 5.4 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.
Lincoln County
Who employs people in Lincoln County
- Covered employment, annual average3,920
- Establishments reporting504
- Average annual pay$44,735
- Average weekly wage$860
- Sector 62, employment656
- Sector 62, average annual pay$44,950
- Sector 44-45, employment547
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$30,477
- Sector 31-33, employment374
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$52,717
- Sector 23, employment223
- Sector 23, average annual pay$56,224
- Sector 54, employment219
- Sector 52, employment118
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 656 | 86 | $44,950 |
| Sector 44-45 | 547 | 67 | $30,477 |
| Sector 31-33 | 374 | 27 | $52,717 |
| Sector 23 | 223 | 51 | $56,224 |
| Sector 54 | 219 | 57 | $80,857 |
| Sector 52 | 118 | 29 | $54,773 |
| Sector 42 | 97 | 20 | $41,480 |
| Sector 53 | 47 | 14 | $64,838 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 656 jobs, 16.7 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.
Lincoln County
What businesses operate in Lincoln County
- Establishments, all industries304
- Employment at those establishments2,710
- Annual payroll$108.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents12.4
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.
Lincoln County
What is being built in Lincoln County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202491
- Declared construction value permitted$14.8 m
- Single family units authorised91
- Multifamily units authorised0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$162,956
- Units authorised per 1,000 households9.4
Multifamily is 0.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lincoln County
How much SBA lending happens in Lincoln County
- 7(a) approvals recorded7
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$2.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$342,586
- Median 7(a) approval$289,500
- 10th percentile approval$181,000
- 90th percentile approval$678,600
- Largest single approval$678,600
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)65
- Jobs per approval9.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active5
- Distinct industries receiving approvals6
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer14.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter4
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals28.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countSpecialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance (2)
- Most active lenderCommunity Trust Bank, Inc. (3)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.1 m
- Average 504 approval$1,121,000
- Median 504 approval$1,121,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval65.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved58.0
- Most active CDCCommunity Ventures Corporation (1)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals87.5 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$3.5 m
The average approval of $342,586 sits close to the median of $289,500, so lending here is fairly evenly sized rather than driven by a few large deals. Only 14.3 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.
Lincoln County
Do SBA loans in Lincoln County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure6
- Status: Cancelled1
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 0 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.
Lincoln County
Which parts of Lincoln County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending4
- STANFORD, approvals4
- CRAB ORCHARD, approvals1
- LANCASTER, approvals1
- Kings Mountain, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| STANFORD | 4 | $1,649,100 |
| CRAB ORCHARD | 1 | $324,000 |
| LANCASTER | 1 | $225,000 |
| Kings Mountain | 1 | $200,000 |
STANFORD accounts for 4 approvals against 1 in CRAB ORCHARD. 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.
Lincoln County
How big is Lincoln County
- Land area334 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties54th of 120
- Width, east to west22.2 mi
- Height, north to south27.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land73
- Establishments per square mile0.91
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 Lincoln 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 Lincoln County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population24,504
- Households9,705
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$52,440
- Median age40.7
Common questions
Lincoln County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lincoln County, Kentucky?
24,504, in 9,705 households, ranking 47th of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lincoln County growing?
The population has grown 2.62 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 298 births against 361 deaths, with net migration of 232. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lincoln County?
$52,440. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $147,300, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $698 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Lincoln County?
304 establishments, employing 2,710 people with an annual payroll of $108.4 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 Lincoln County?
Average annual pay is $44,735, or $860 a week, across 3,920 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lincoln County?
7 7(a) approvals totalling $2.4 m since FY2020, across 5 lenders, with a median approval of $289,500, plus 1 504 approvals worth $1.1 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Lincoln County?
91 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $14.8 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lincoln 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 Lincoln County come from?
The largest single origin is Lincoln County Non-migrants, with 7,882 households. Arriving households report an average income of $43,177 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 Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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.