Simpson County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Simpson County, Kentucky has a population of 19,972 across 234 square miles, up 3.9 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $1.23 bn in 2024, 422 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 12 7(a) approvals worth $10.4 m.
115 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Simpson County
How many people live in Simpson County
- Population19,972
- Households8,025
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$59,858
- Median age38.8
- Median gross rent$1,012 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$229,400
- Home value to household income3.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over13,641
- Population under 184,679
- Share under 1823.4 percent
- Population 65 and over3,219
- Share 65 and over16.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6412,074
- Civilian labor force9,588
- Unemployment rate3.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.7 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties58th of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1880th
Simpson County is the 58th largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 3.8 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.4 percent against 16.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Simpson County
Is Simpson County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.85 percent
- Census 2020 base population19,596
- Births, 2024230
- Deaths, 2024253
- Natural change, 2024-23
- Net domestic migration, 2024123
- Net international migration, 202426
- Total net migration, 2024149
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024809
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents713th
The county has grown 3.85 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.
Simpson County
Where people moving to Simpson County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving648
- People arriving, from those returns1,215
- Adjusted gross income arriving$29.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$45,176
- Largest single originSimpson County Non-migrants (6,803 households)
- Largest single destination (6,803 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simpson County Non-migrants | 6,803 | 13,908 | $409.6 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 184 | 349 | $9.7 m |
| Warren County | 157 | 281 | $7.2 m |
| Other flows - South | 113 | 215 | $5.4 m |
| Sumner County | 112 | 218 | $4.7 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 59 | 108 | $2.3 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 45 | 87 | $2.5 m |
| Logan County | 38 | 73 | $1.3 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Simpson 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.
Simpson County
What the Simpson County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$1.23 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.29 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-5.3 percent
- GDP change over five years30.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among Kentucky counties42nd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1685th
- GDP per resident$61,406
Output grew -5.3 percent in the latest year and 30.0 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.
Simpson County
Who employs people in Simpson County
- Covered employment, annual average9,115
- Establishments reporting706
- Average annual pay$52,092
- Average weekly wage$1,002
- Sector 31-33, employment2,727
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$66,438
- Sector 44-45, employment1,168
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$34,079
- Sector 72, employment942
- Sector 72, average annual pay$22,196
- Sector 48-49, employment771
- Sector 48-49, average annual pay$51,886
- Sector 62, employment578
- Sector 23, employment383
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 2,727 | 56 | $66,438 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,168 | 78 | $34,079 |
| Sector 72 | 942 | 63 | $22,196 |
| Sector 48-49 | 771 | 18 | $51,886 |
| Sector 62 | 578 | 105 | $56,661 |
| Sector 23 | 383 | 61 | $61,913 |
| Sector 71 | 365 | 12 | $41,282 |
| Sector 56 | 307 | 39 | $49,544 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 2,727 jobs, 29.9 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.
Simpson County
What businesses operate in Simpson County
- Establishments, all industries422
- Employment at those establishments8,630
- Annual payroll$406.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.1
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.
Simpson County
What is being built in Simpson County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024204
- Declared construction value permitted$40.2 m
- Single family units authorised159
- Multifamily units authorised45
- Multifamily share of units22.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$196,923
- Units authorised per 1,000 households25.4
Multifamily is 22.1 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Simpson County
How much SBA lending happens in Simpson County
- 7(a) approvals recorded12
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$10.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$867,667
- Median 7(a) approval$311,300
- 10th percentile approval$33,000
- 90th percentile approval$3,310,200
- Largest single approval$3,495,900
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)98
- Jobs per approval8.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals10
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter10
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals16.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countDrycleaning and Laundry Services (except Coin-Operated) (2)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (2)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.4 m
- Average 504 approval$1,186,000
- Median 504 approval$1,262,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval17.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.8
- Most active CDCCommunity Ventures Corporation (1)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals85.7 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$12.8 m
The average approval of $867,667 sits well above the median of $311,300, 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 16.7 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.
Simpson County
Do SBA loans in Simpson County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure9
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.
Simpson County
Which parts of Simpson County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending2
- FRANKLIN, approvals11
- AUBURN, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| FRANKLIN | 11 | $7,101,800 |
| AUBURN | 1 | $3,310,200 |
FRANKLIN accounts for 11 approvals against 1 in AUBURN. 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.
Simpson County
How big is Simpson County
- Land area234 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties91st of 120
- Width, east to west20.1 mi
- Height, north to south17.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land85
- Establishments per square mile1.80
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 Simpson 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 Simpson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population19,972
- Households8,025
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$59,858
- Median age38.8
Common questions
Simpson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Simpson County, Kentucky?
19,972, in 8,025 households, ranking 58th of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Simpson County growing?
The population has grown 3.85 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 230 births against 253 deaths, with net migration of 149. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Simpson County?
$59,858. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $229,400, which is 3.8 times income, and median gross rent is $1,012 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Simpson County?
422 establishments, employing 8,630 people with an annual payroll of $406.7 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 Simpson County?
Average annual pay is $52,092, or $1,002 a week, across 9,115 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Simpson County?
12 7(a) approvals totalling $10.4 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $311,300, plus 2 504 approvals worth $2.4 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Simpson County?
204 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $40.2 m. Multifamily was 22.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Simpson 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 Simpson County come from?
The largest single origin is Simpson County Non-migrants, with 6,803 households. Arriving households report an average income of $45,176 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 Simpson 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 Simpson 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.