Jefferson County, Missouri: commercial real estate data.
Jefferson County, Missouri has a population of 229,458 across 657 square miles, up 2.4 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $6.91 bn in 2024, 3,956 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 137 7(a) approvals worth $62.2 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Jefferson County
How many people live in Jefferson County
- Population229,458
- Households88,309
- Average household size2.60
- Median household income$82,851
- Median age40.3
- Median gross rent$979 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$237,200
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over160,812
- Population under 1851,633
- Share under 1822.5 percent
- Population 65 and over38,261
- Share 65 and over16.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64139,564
- Civilian labor force121,069
- Unemployment rate3.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over68.1 percent
- Rank by population among Missouri counties7th of 115
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents311th
Jefferson County is the 7th largest of 115 Missouri 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 22.5 percent against 16.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Jefferson County
Is Jefferson County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.35 percent
- Census 2020 base population226,569
- Births, 20242,103
- Deaths, 20242,330
- Natural change, 2024-227
- Net domestic migration, 2024832
- Net international migration, 2024121
- Total net migration, 2024953
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20245,406
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1057th
The county has grown 2.35 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.
Jefferson County
Where people moving to Jefferson County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving5,824
- People arriving, from those returns10,447
- Adjusted gross income arriving$354.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$60,779
- Largest single originJefferson County Non-migrants (88,238 households)
- Largest single destination (88,238 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County Non-migrants | 88,238 | 181,026 | $6.44 bn |
| St. Louis County | 2,408 | 4,150 | $155.2 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,135 | 2,193 | $72.4 m |
| St. Louis city | 560 | 968 | $32.8 m |
| Other flows - South | 475 | 917 | $29.6 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 347 | 636 | $21.3 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 280 | 526 | $11.4 m |
| St. Charles County | 270 | 466 | $17.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Jefferson 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.
Jefferson County
What the Jefferson County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$6.91 bn
- County GDP, 2023$6.55 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.5 percent
- GDP change over five years22.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among Missouri counties11th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents593rd
- GDP per resident$30,095
Output grew 5.5 percent in the latest year and 22.0 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.
Jefferson County
Who employs people in Jefferson County
- Covered employment, annual average49,458
- Establishments reporting4,597
- Average annual pay$49,615
- Average weekly wage$954
- Sector 44-45, employment7,630
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$35,215
- Sector 62, employment7,044
- Sector 62, average annual pay$55,815
- Sector 72, employment6,433
- Sector 72, average annual pay$21,809
- Sector 23, employment4,282
- Sector 23, average annual pay$70,068
- Sector 31-33, employment4,221
- Sector 56, employment2,432
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 44-45 | 7,630 | 489 | $35,215 |
| Sector 62 | 7,044 | 974 | $55,815 |
| Sector 72 | 6,433 | 292 | $21,809 |
| Sector 23 | 4,282 | 652 | $70,068 |
| Sector 31-33 | 4,221 | 163 | $68,591 |
| Sector 56 | 2,432 | 306 | $44,884 |
| Sector 81 | 2,060 | 363 | $43,114 |
| Sector 42 | 1,515 | 168 | $75,766 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 7,630 jobs, 15.4 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.
Jefferson County
What businesses operate in Jefferson County
- Establishments, all industries3,956
- Employment at those establishments41,900
- Annual payroll$1.97 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.2
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.
Jefferson County
What is being built in Jefferson County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024811
- Declared construction value permitted$233.0 m
- Single family units authorised695
- Multifamily units authorised116
- Multifamily share of units14.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$287,290
- Units authorised per 1,000 households9.2
Multifamily is 14.3 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Jefferson County
How much SBA lending happens in Jefferson County
- 7(a) approvals recorded137
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$62.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$453,931
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$21,500
- 90th percentile approval$1,273,000
- Largest single approval$4,665,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,285
- Jobs per approval9.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active42
- Distinct industries receiving approvals83
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms22
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter106
- Franchise loans10
- Franchise share of approvals7.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countElectrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors (5)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (32)
- 504 approvals recorded43
- 504 gross approval dollars$19.4 m
- Average 504 approval$451,535
- Median 504 approval$285,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval9.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved20.8
- Most active CDCEconomic Development Corporation of Jefferson County, MO (19)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals76.1 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$81.6 m
The average approval of $453,931 sits well above the median of $150,000, 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 16.1 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.
Jefferson County
Do SBA loans in Jefferson County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded39
- Paid in full37
- Charged off2
- Charge off rate on resolved loans5.1 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure79
- Status: Paid in full37
- Status: Cancelled12
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed7
Of the 39 loans that have reached a final outcome, 5.1 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Jefferson County
Which parts of Jefferson County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending19
- ARNOLD, approvals28
- HIGH RIDGE, approvals16
- IMPERIAL, approvals14
- House Springs, approvals14
- De Soto, approvals10
- FESTUS, approvals9
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| ARNOLD | 28 | $14,039,100 |
| HIGH RIDGE | 16 | $4,967,000 |
| IMPERIAL | 14 | $13,035,800 |
| House Springs | 14 | $5,748,100 |
| De Soto | 10 | $3,656,400 |
| FESTUS | 9 | $1,845,600 |
| Cedar Hill | 8 | $2,070,700 |
| FENTON | 7 | $4,617,400 |
ARNOLD accounts for 28 approvals against 16 in HIGH RIDGE. 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.
Jefferson County
How big is Jefferson County
- Land area657 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Missouri counties39th of 115
- Width, east to west28.6 mi
- Height, north to south34.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land349
- Establishments per square mile6.02
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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population229,458
- Households88,309
- Average household size2.60
- Median household income$82,851
- Median age40.3
Common questions
Jefferson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Jefferson County, Missouri?
229,458, in 88,309 households, ranking 7th of 115 Missouri counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Jefferson County growing?
The population has grown 2.35 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 2,103 births against 2,330 deaths, with net migration of 953. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Jefferson County?
$82,851. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $237,200, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $979 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Jefferson County?
3,956 establishments, employing 41,900 people with an annual payroll of $1.97 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 Jefferson County?
Average annual pay is $49,615, or $954 a week, across 49,458 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Jefferson County?
137 7(a) approvals totalling $62.2 m since FY2020, across 42 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 43 504 approvals worth $19.4 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Jefferson County get paid back?
Of the 39 loans that have reached a final outcome, 37 were paid in full and 2 charged off, a charge off rate of 5.1 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Jefferson County?
811 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $233.0 m. Multifamily was 14.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Jefferson 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 Jefferson County come from?
The largest single origin is Jefferson County Non-migrants, with 88,238 households. Arriving households report an average income of $60,779 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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.