HomeMississippiLee County
Lee County, Mississippi: commercial real estate data.
Lee County, Mississippi has a population of 83,034 across 450 square miles, down 0.4 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $6.48 bn in 2024, 2,550 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 43 7(a) approvals worth $24.0 m.
122 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Lee County
How many people live in Lee County
- Population83,034
- Households32,591
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$67,863
- Median age37.5
- Median gross rent$957 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$199,500
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher28.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over55,433
- Population under 1820,728
- Share under 1825.0 percent
- Population 65 and over13,130
- Share 65 and over15.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6449,176
- Civilian labor force40,243
- Unemployment rate5.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.6 percent
- Rank by population among Mississippi counties7th of 82
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents707th
Lee County is the 7th largest of 82 Mississippi counties by population. A median home costs 2.9 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.0 percent against 15.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lee County
Is Lee County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.40 percent
- Census 2020 base population83,346
- Births, 20241,001
- Deaths, 2024929
- Natural change, 202472
- Net domestic migration, 20248
- Net international migration, 202436
- Total net migration, 202444
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-501
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1985th
The county has lost 0.40 percent of its population since the 2020 census base.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Lee County
Where people moving to Lee County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,048
- People arriving, from those returns3,835
- Adjusted gross income arriving$97.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$47,540
- Largest single originLee County Non-migrants (29,970 households)
- Largest single destination (29,970 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County Non-migrants | 29,970 | 63,162 | $2.28 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 619 | 1,144 | $36.7 m |
| Other flows - South | 430 | 810 | $24.6 m |
| Pontotoc County | 196 | 383 | $8.2 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 189 | 339 | $8.3 m |
| Itawamba County | 184 | 380 | $6.8 m |
| Monroe County | 133 | 271 | $5.2 m |
| Prentiss County | 130 | 251 | $5.3 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Lee 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.
Lee County
What the Lee County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$6.48 bn
- County GDP, 2023$6.26 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.5 percent
- GDP change over five years29.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among Mississippi counties7th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents614th
- GDP per resident$78,006
Output grew 3.5 percent in the latest year and 29.9 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.
Lee County
Who employs people in Lee County
- Covered employment, annual average52,532
- Establishments reporting2,687
- Average annual pay$51,183
- Average weekly wage$984
- Sector 31-33, employment10,103
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$53,818
- Sector 62, employment9,399
- Sector 62, average annual pay$70,134
- Sector 44-45, employment6,931
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$33,716
- Sector 72, employment4,800
- Sector 72, average annual pay$19,352
- Sector 56, employment3,737
- Sector 52, employment1,831
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 10,103 | 154 | $53,818 |
| Sector 62 | 9,399 | 344 | $70,134 |
| Sector 44-45 | 6,931 | 523 | $33,716 |
| Sector 72 | 4,800 | 264 | $19,352 |
| Sector 56 | 3,737 | 127 | $34,560 |
| Sector 52 | 1,831 | 173 | $95,091 |
| Sector 42 | 1,812 | 157 | $63,178 |
| Sector 48-49 | 1,754 | 122 | $54,283 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 10,103 jobs, 19.2 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.
Lee County
What businesses operate in Lee County
- Establishments, all industries2,550
- Employment at those establishments47,607
- Annual payroll$2.42 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents30.7
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.
Lee County
What is being built in Lee County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024126
- Declared construction value permitted$27.6 m
- Single family units authorised92
- Multifamily units authorised34
- Multifamily share of units27.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$218,719
- Units authorised per 1,000 households3.9
Multifamily is 27.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lee County
How much SBA lending happens in Lee County
- 7(a) approvals recorded43
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$24.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$558,537
- Median 7(a) approval$338,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,617,600
- Largest single approval$2,310,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)664
- Jobs per approval15.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active17
- Distinct industries receiving approvals29
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer23.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms10
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter29
- Franchise loans11
- Franchise share of approvals25.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countInsurance Agencies and Brokerages (5)
- Most active lenderNewtek Bank, National Association (8)
- 504 approvals recorded9
- 504 gross approval dollars$10.2 m
- Average 504 approval$1,132,111
- Median 504 approval$926,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval19.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved17.0
- Most active CDCThree Rivers Local Development Company, Inc. (7)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals82.7 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$34.2 m
The average approval of $558,537 sits well above the median of $338,000, 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 23.3 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.
Lee County
Do SBA loans in Lee County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full3
- Charged off1
- Status: Cancelled8
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure28
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 4 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.
Lee County
Which parts of Lee County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending8
- Tupelo, approvals30
- Saltillo, approvals7
- GUNTOWN, approvals1
- MOOREVILLE, approvals1
- SATILLO, approvals1
- SHANNON, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Tupelo | 30 | $20,072,800 |
| Saltillo | 7 | $3,119,300 |
| GUNTOWN | 1 | $150,000 |
| MOOREVILLE | 1 | $150,000 |
| SATILLO | 1 | $300,000 |
| SHANNON | 1 | $50,000 |
| VERONA | 1 | $150,000 |
| BELDEN | 1 | $25,000 |
Tupelo accounts for 30 approvals against 7 in Saltillo. 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.
Lee County
How big is Lee County
- Land area450 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Mississippi counties61st of 82
- Width, east to west16.2 mi
- Height, north to south30 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land185
- Establishments per square mile5.67
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 Lee 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 Lee County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population83,034
- Households32,591
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$67,863
- Median age37.5
Common questions
Lee County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lee County, Mississippi?
83,034, in 32,591 households, ranking 7th of 82 Mississippi counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lee County growing?
The population has fallen 0.40 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 1,001 births against 929 deaths, with net migration of 44. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lee County?
$67,863. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $199,500, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $957 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Lee County?
2,550 establishments, employing 47,607 people with an annual payroll of $2.42 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 Lee County?
Average annual pay is $51,183, or $984 a week, across 52,532 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lee County?
43 7(a) approvals totalling $24.0 m since FY2020, across 17 lenders, with a median approval of $338,000, plus 9 504 approvals worth $10.2 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Lee County?
126 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $27.6 m. Multifamily was 27.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lee 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 Lee County come from?
The largest single origin is Lee County Non-migrants, with 29,970 households. Arriving households report an average income of $47,540 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 Lee 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 Lee 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.