Nelson County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Nelson County, Kentucky has a population of 47,606 across 418 square miles, up 4.2 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $2.39 bn in 2024, 1,023 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 21 7(a) approvals worth $14.6 m.
117 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Nelson County
How many people live in Nelson County
- Population47,606
- Households19,150
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$69,562
- Median age39.5
- Median gross rent$1,008 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$238,000
- Home value to household income3.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher23.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over32,949
- Population under 1810,972
- Share under 1823.0 percent
- Population 65 and over8,291
- Share 65 and over17.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6428,343
- Civilian labor force23,912
- Unemployment rate3.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.3 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties22nd of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1050th
Nelson County is the 22nd largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 3.4 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.0 percent against 17.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Nelson County
Is Nelson County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.24 percent
- Census 2020 base population46,725
- Births, 2024544
- Deaths, 2024524
- Natural change, 202420
- Net domestic migration, 2024441
- Net international migration, 2024260
- Total net migration, 2024701
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,411
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents647th
The county has grown 4.24 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.
Nelson County
Where people moving to Nelson County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,213
- People arriving, from those returns2,185
- Adjusted gross income arriving$65.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$53,800
- Largest single originNelson County Non-migrants (18,558 households)
- Largest single destination (18,558 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson County Non-migrants | 18,558 | 37,777 | $1.35 bn |
| Jefferson County | 309 | 525 | $16.9 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 249 | 457 | $16.7 m |
| Bullitt County | 194 | 357 | $10.1 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 178 | 298 | $8.7 m |
| Other flows - South | 120 | 213 | $7.5 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 96 | 192 | $7.2 m |
| Hardin County | 92 | 180 | $4.4 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Nelson 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.
Nelson County
What the Nelson County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$2.39 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.26 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.7 percent
- GDP change over five years39.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among Kentucky counties25th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1130th
- GDP per resident$50,297
Output grew 5.7 percent in the latest year and 39.0 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.
Nelson County
Who employs people in Nelson County
- Covered employment, annual average18,445
- Establishments reporting1,530
- Average annual pay$56,670
- Average weekly wage$1,090
- Sector 31-33, employment5,690
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$69,648
- Sector 44-45, employment2,037
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$36,074
- Sector 62, employment2,010
- Sector 62, average annual pay$57,368
- Sector 72, employment1,545
- Sector 72, average annual pay$23,189
- Sector 23, employment1,466
- Sector 56, employment848
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 5,690 | 94 | $69,648 |
| Sector 44-45 | 2,037 | 175 | $36,074 |
| Sector 62 | 2,010 | 247 | $57,368 |
| Sector 72 | 1,545 | 90 | $23,189 |
| Sector 23 | 1,466 | 195 | $69,312 |
| Sector 56 | 848 | 86 | $34,969 |
| Sector 42 | 666 | 65 | $78,092 |
| Sector 54 | 455 | 146 | $71,618 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 5,690 jobs, 30.8 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.
Nelson County
What businesses operate in Nelson County
- Establishments, all industries1,023
- Employment at those establishments17,214
- Annual payroll$926.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.5
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.
Nelson County
What is being built in Nelson County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024210
- Declared construction value permitted$48.5 m
- Single family units authorised181
- Multifamily units authorised29
- Multifamily share of units13.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$230,952
- Units authorised per 1,000 households11.0
Multifamily is 13.8 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Nelson County
How much SBA lending happens in Nelson County
- 7(a) approvals recorded21
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$14.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$696,581
- Median 7(a) approval$265,500
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,790,000
- Largest single approval$3,680,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)221
- Jobs per approval10.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active13
- Distinct industries receiving approvals19
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer19.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter16
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals28.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (2)
- Most active lenderWilson & Muir Bank & Trust Company (5)
- 504 approvals recorded10
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.6 m
- Average 504 approval$662,100
- Median 504 approval$575,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval10.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved15.9
- Most active CDCCapital Access Corporation - Kentucky (6)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals67.7 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$21.2 m
The average approval of $696,581 sits well above the median of $265,500, 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 19.0 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.
Nelson County
Do SBA loans in Nelson County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded6
- Paid in full6
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure12
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 6 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.
Nelson County
Which parts of Nelson County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending3
- BARDSTOWN, approvals17
- COXS CREEK, approvals2
- BLOOMFIELD, approvals2
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| BARDSTOWN | 17 | $14,408,200 |
| COXS CREEK | 2 | $175,000 |
| BLOOMFIELD | 2 | $45,000 |
BARDSTOWN accounts for 17 approvals against 2 in COXS CREEK. 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.
Nelson County
How big is Nelson County
- Land area418 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties28th of 120
- Width, east to west32 mi
- Height, north to south30.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land114
- Establishments per square mile2.45
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 Nelson 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 Nelson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population47,606
- Households19,150
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$69,562
- Median age39.5
Common questions
Nelson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Nelson County, Kentucky?
47,606, in 19,150 households, ranking 22nd of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Nelson County growing?
The population has grown 4.24 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 544 births against 524 deaths, with net migration of 701. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Nelson County?
$69,562. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $238,000, which is 3.4 times income, and median gross rent is $1,008 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Nelson County?
1,023 establishments, employing 17,214 people with an annual payroll of $926.8 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 Nelson County?
Average annual pay is $56,670, or $1,090 a week, across 18,445 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Nelson County?
21 7(a) approvals totalling $14.6 m since FY2020, across 13 lenders, with a median approval of $265,500, plus 10 504 approvals worth $6.6 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Nelson County?
210 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $48.5 m. Multifamily was 13.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Nelson 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 Nelson County come from?
The largest single origin is Nelson County Non-migrants, with 18,558 households. Arriving households report an average income of $53,800 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 Nelson 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 Nelson 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.