Highland County, Ohio: commercial real estate data.
Highland County, Ohio has a population of 43,517 across 553 square miles, up 1.1 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $1.89 bn in 2024, 733 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 25 7(a) approvals worth $9.2 m.
124 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Highland County
How many people live in Highland County
- Population43,517
- Households16,938
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$65,785
- Median age41.0
- Median gross rent$780 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$168,900
- Home value to household income2.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher16.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over29,841
- Population under 1810,401
- Share under 1823.9 percent
- Population 65 and over8,333
- Share 65 and over19.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6424,783
- Civilian labor force20,685
- Unemployment rate3.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.5 percent
- Rank by population among Ohio counties56th of 88
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1138th
Highland County is the 56th largest of 88 Ohio counties by population. A median home costs 2.6 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.9 percent against 19.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Highland County
Is Highland County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.08 percent
- Census 2020 base population43,316
- Births, 2024540
- Deaths, 2024544
- Natural change, 2024-4
- Net domestic migration, 2024187
- Net international migration, 202417
- Total net migration, 2024204
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024647
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1453rd
The county has grown 1.08 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.
Highland County
Where people moving to Highland County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,011
- People arriving, from those returns1,912
- Adjusted gross income arriving$47.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$46,988
- Largest single originHighland County Non-migrants (15,544 households)
- Largest single destination (15,544 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highland County Non-migrants | 15,544 | 31,873 | $879.1 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 189 | 362 | $9.2 m |
| Clinton County | 137 | 263 | $6.3 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 110 | 216 | $4.9 m |
| Other flows - South | 104 | 196 | $4.5 m |
| Ross County | 94 | 194 | $3.5 m |
| Fayette County | 87 | 172 | $4.0 m |
| Clermont County | 78 | 142 | $4.0 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Highland 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.
Highland County
What the Highland County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$1.89 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.77 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.8 percent
- GDP change over five years30.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among Ohio counties64th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1335th
- GDP per resident$43,360
Output grew 6.8 percent in the latest year and 30.6 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.
Highland County
Who employs people in Highland County
- Covered employment, annual average11,108
- Establishments reporting853
- Average annual pay$44,831
- Average weekly wage$862
- Sector 31-33, employment1,980
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$54,463
- Sector 44-45, employment1,666
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$30,423
- Sector 62, employment1,261
- Sector 62, average annual pay$47,534
- Sector 72, employment1,037
- Sector 72, average annual pay$16,749
- Sector 23, employment723
- Sector 52, employment371
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 1,980 | 30 | $54,463 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,666 | 142 | $30,423 |
| Sector 62 | 1,261 | 97 | $47,534 |
| Sector 72 | 1,037 | 67 | $16,749 |
| Sector 23 | 723 | 90 | $68,119 |
| Sector 52 | 371 | 38 | $63,176 |
| Sector 42 | 345 | 31 | $47,650 |
| Sector 81 | 314 | 77 | $32,219 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 1,980 jobs, 17.8 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.
Highland County
What businesses operate in Highland County
- Establishments, all industries733
- Employment at those establishments9,284
- Annual payroll$402.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents16.8
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.
Highland County
What is being built in Highland County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024121
- Declared construction value permitted$35.0 m
- Single family units authorised96
- Multifamily units authorised25
- Multifamily share of units20.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$289,010
- Units authorised per 1,000 households7.1
Multifamily is 20.7 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Highland County
How much SBA lending happens in Highland County
- 7(a) approvals recorded25
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$9.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$368,188
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$603,300
- Largest single approval$4,298,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)185
- Jobs per approval7.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active13
- Distinct industries receiving approvals18
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer8.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter21
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals8.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countPlumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (2)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (5)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$89,000
- Average 504 approval$89,000
- Median 504 approval$89,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval2.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved22.5
- Most active CDCAlloy Development Co., Inc. (1)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals96.2 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$9.3 m
The average approval of $368,188 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 8.0 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.
Highland County
Do SBA loans in Highland County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure16
- Status: Paid in full2
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 2 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.
Highland County
Which parts of Highland County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending5
- Hillsboro, approvals18
- Greenfield, approvals4
- SARDINIA, approvals1
- MOUNT ORAB, approvals1
- Leesburg, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsboro | 18 | $8,256,300 |
| Greenfield | 4 | $523,400 |
| SARDINIA | 1 | $350,000 |
| MOUNT ORAB | 1 | $50,000 |
| Leesburg | 1 | $25,000 |
Hillsboro accounts for 18 approvals against 4 in Greenfield. 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.
Highland County
How big is Highland County
- Land area553 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Ohio counties15th of 88
- Width, east to west27.8 mi
- Height, north to south24.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land79
- Establishments per square mile1.33
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.
Highland County
What hazards affect Highland County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate71.4 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
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.
- 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 Highland 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 Highland County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population43,517
- Households16,938
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$65,785
- Median age41.0
Common questions
Highland County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Highland County, Ohio?
43,517, in 16,938 households, ranking 56th of 88 Ohio counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Highland County growing?
The population has grown 1.08 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 540 births against 544 deaths, with net migration of 204. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Highland County?
$65,785. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $168,900, which is 2.6 times income, and median gross rent is $780 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Highland County?
733 establishments, employing 9,284 people with an annual payroll of $402.2 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 Highland County?
Average annual pay is $44,831, or $862 a week, across 11,108 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Highland County?
25 7(a) approvals totalling $9.2 m since FY2020, across 13 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 1 504 approvals worth $89,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Highland County?
121 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $35.0 m. Multifamily was 20.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Highland 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 Highland County come from?
The largest single origin is Highland County Non-migrants, with 15,544 households. Arriving households report an average income of $46,988 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 Highland 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 Highland 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.