Whitley County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Whitley County, Kentucky has a population of 36,920 across 438 square miles, up 1.4 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $1.56 bn in 2024, 629 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 10 7(a) approvals worth $12.4 m.
116 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Whitley County
How many people live in Whitley County
- Population36,920
- Households13,541
- Average household size2.73
- Median household income$44,615
- Median age35.2
- Median gross rent$798 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$131,800
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income21.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over23,131
- Population under 189,657
- Share under 1826.2 percent
- Population 65 and over5,784
- Share 65 and over15.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6421,479
- Civilian labor force14,622
- Unemployment rate5.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over53.6 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties28th of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1287th
Whitley County is the 28th largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 26.2 percent against 15.7 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 base1.43 percent
- Census 2020 base population36,709
- Births, 2024574
- Deaths, 2024581
- Natural change, 2024-7
- Net domestic migration, 2024252
- Net international migration, 202469
- Total net migration, 2024321
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024565
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1359th
The county has grown 1.43 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.
Whitley County
Where people moving to Whitley County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving868
- People arriving, from those returns1,779
- Adjusted gross income arriving$31.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$36,010
- Largest single originWhitley County Non-migrants (11,058 households)
- Largest single destination (11,058 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitley County Non-migrants | 11,058 | 24,784 | $642.2 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 272 | 539 | $10.3 m |
| Laurel County | 212 | 441 | $7.6 m |
| Knox County | 167 | 367 | $5.3 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 144 | 276 | $5.6 m |
| Other flows - South | 128 | 247 | $3.8 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 65 | 124 | $2.3 m |
| Other flows - West | 54 | 124 | $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$1.56 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.47 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.2 percent
- GDP change over five years40.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among Kentucky counties33rd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1482nd
- GDP per resident$42,238
Output grew 6.2 percent in the latest year and 40.2 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 average14,351
- Establishments reporting1,040
- Average annual pay$46,563
- Average weekly wage$895
- Sector 44-45, employment1,522
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$33,264
- Sector 72, employment1,300
- Sector 72, average annual pay$21,797
- Sector 31-33, employment1,172
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$53,570
- Sector 56, employment961
- Sector 56, average annual pay$37,864
- Sector 51, employment328
- Sector 42, employment326
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 44-45 | 1,522 | 180 | $33,264 |
| Sector 72 | 1,300 | 79 | $21,797 |
| Sector 31-33 | 1,172 | 25 | $53,570 |
| Sector 56 | 961 | 54 | $37,864 |
| Sector 51 | 328 | 18 | $44,433 |
| Sector 42 | 326 | 28 | $64,251 |
| Sector 81 | 314 | 106 | $35,484 |
| Sector 52 | 254 | 56 | $57,481 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 1,522 jobs, 10.6 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job exceeds median household income, which usually means single earner households and a wage base that can carry rent.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Whitley County
What businesses operate in Whitley County
- Establishments, all industries629
- Employment at those establishments10,058
- Annual payroll$466.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.0
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, 202466
- Declared construction value permitted$8.0 m
- Single family units authorised20
- Multifamily units authorised46
- Multifamily share of units69.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$120,990
- Units authorised per 1,000 households4.9
Multifamily is 69.7 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Whitley County
How much SBA lending happens in Whitley County
- 7(a) approvals recorded10
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$12.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,239,610
- Median 7(a) approval$896,100
- 10th percentile approval$100,000
- 90th percentile approval$5,000,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)87
- Jobs per approval8.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active8
- Distinct industries receiving approvals7
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer40.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals30.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (2)
- Most active lenderNewtek Bank, National Association (2)
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.2 m
- Average 504 approval$2,080,000
- Median 504 approval$2,400,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval10.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved4.8
- Most active CDCCommunity Ventures Corporation (2)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals76.9 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$18.6 m
The average approval of $1,239,610 sits close to the median of $896,100, so lending here is fairly evenly sized rather than driven by a few large deals. 40.0 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
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 recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure8
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
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.
Whitley County
Which parts of Whitley County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending2
- CORBIN, approvals8
- Williamsburg, approvals2
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| CORBIN | 8 | $10,094,100 |
| Williamsburg | 2 | $2,302,000 |
CORBIN accounts for 8 approvals against 2 in Williamsburg. 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 area438 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties22nd of 120
- Width, east to west26.2 mi
- Height, north to south25.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land84
- Establishments per square mile1.44
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.
- Population36,920
- Households13,541
- Average household size2.73
- Median household income$44,615
- Median age35.2
Common questions
Whitley County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Whitley County, Kentucky?
36,920, in 13,541 households, ranking 28th of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Whitley County growing?
The population has grown 1.43 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 574 births against 581 deaths, with net migration of 321. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Whitley County?
$44,615. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $131,800, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $798 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Whitley County?
629 establishments, employing 10,058 people with an annual payroll of $466.4 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 $46,563, or $895 a week, across 14,351 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?
10 7(a) approvals totalling $12.4 m since FY2020, across 8 lenders, with a median approval of $896,100, plus 3 504 approvals worth $6.2 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Whitley County?
66 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $8.0 m. Multifamily was 69.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Whitley 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 Whitley County come from?
The largest single origin is Whitley County Non-migrants, with 11,058 households. Arriving households report an average income of $36,010 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.