HomePennsylvaniaBlair County
Blair County, Pennsylvania: commercial real estate data.
Blair County, Pennsylvania has a population of 121,277 across 526 square miles, down 2.1 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $8.00 bn in 2024, 3,178 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 64 7(a) approvals worth $35.4 m.
128 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Blair County
How many people live in Blair County
- Population121,277
- Households50,558
- Average household size2.40
- Median household income$62,382
- Median age43.1
- Median gross rent$885 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$161,100
- Home value to household income2.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over86,786
- Population under 1824,416
- Share under 1820.1 percent
- Population 65 and over26,068
- Share 65 and over21.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6470,793
- Civilian labor force58,420
- Unemployment rate4.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.3 percent
- Rank by population among Pennsylvania counties28th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents532nd
Blair County is the 28th largest of 67 Pennsylvania counties by population. A median home costs 2.6 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 21.5 percent against 20.1 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Blair County
Is Blair County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.08 percent
- Census 2020 base population122,821
- Births, 20241,170
- Deaths, 20241,712
- Natural change, 2024-542
- Net domestic migration, 202499
- Net international migration, 2024221
- Total net migration, 2024320
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-386
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2518th
The county has lost 2.08 percent of its population 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.
Blair County
Where people moving to Blair County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,626
- People arriving, from those returns2,658
- Adjusted gross income arriving$96.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$59,100
- Largest single originBlair County Non-migrants (49,673 households)
- Largest single destination (49,673 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blair County Non-migrants | 49,673 | 96,078 | $3.68 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 521 | 936 | $44.3 m |
| Other flows - South | 274 | 475 | $31.9 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 273 | 414 | $12.1 m |
| Cambria County | 196 | 334 | $10.1 m |
| Bedford County | 152 | 245 | $7.3 m |
| Huntingdon County | 119 | 195 | $5.4 m |
| Centre County | 109 | 160 | $5.3 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Blair 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.
Blair County
What the Blair County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$8.00 bn
- County GDP, 2023$7.68 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.2 percent
- GDP change over five years27.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among Pennsylvania counties25th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents525th
- GDP per resident$65,966
Output grew 4.2 percent in the latest year and 27.2 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.
Blair County
Who employs people in Blair County
- Covered employment, annual average58,025
- Establishments reporting3,430
- Average annual pay$53,266
- Average weekly wage$1,024
- Sector 62, employment11,547
- Sector 62, average annual pay$56,891
- Sector 44-45, employment8,025
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$34,976
- Sector 31-33, employment7,133
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$61,912
- Sector 72, employment4,801
- Sector 72, average annual pay$19,321
- Sector 48-49, employment3,206
- Sector 23, employment2,696
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 11,547 | 651 | $56,891 |
| Sector 44-45 | 8,025 | 488 | $34,976 |
| Sector 31-33 | 7,133 | 143 | $61,912 |
| Sector 72 | 4,801 | 295 | $19,321 |
| Sector 48-49 | 3,206 | 80 | $65,261 |
| Sector 23 | 2,696 | 295 | $62,067 |
| Sector 81 | 2,063 | 355 | $34,916 |
| Sector 56 | 1,865 | 144 | $45,432 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 11,547 jobs, 19.9 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.
Blair County
What businesses operate in Blair County
- Establishments, all industries3,178
- Employment at those establishments53,149
- Annual payroll$2.77 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents26.2
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.
Blair County
What is being built in Blair County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202487
- Declared construction value permitted$27.3 m
- Single family units authorised69
- Multifamily units authorised18
- Multifamily share of units20.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$313,321
- Units authorised per 1,000 households1.7
Multifamily is 20.7 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Blair County
How much SBA lending happens in Blair County
- 7(a) approvals recorded64
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$35.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$553,534
- Median 7(a) approval$153,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,725,000
- Largest single approval$4,072,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)879
- Jobs per approval13.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active22
- Distinct industries receiving approvals40
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer20.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms13
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter43
- Franchise loans13
- Franchise share of approvals20.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (7)
- Most active lenderManufacturers and Traders Trust Company (18)
- 504 approvals recorded17
- 504 gross approval dollars$18.4 m
- Average 504 approval$1,084,118
- Median 504 approval$773,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval11.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.4
- Most active CDCAltoona-Blair County Development Corporation (11)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals79.0 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$53.9 m
The average approval of $553,534 sits well above the median of $153,000, 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 20.3 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.
Blair County
Do SBA loans in Blair County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded12
- Paid in full12
- Charged off0
- Charge off rate on resolved loans0.0 percent
- Status: Paid in full12
- Status: Cancelled12
- Status: Exempt from disclosure37
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Of the 12 loans that have reached a final outcome, 0.0 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.
Blair County
Which parts of Blair County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending9
- Altoona, approvals35
- Hollidaysburg, approvals10
- TYRONE, approvals6
- CLAYSBURG, approvals4
- DUNCANSVILLE, approvals4
- BELLWOOD, approvals2
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Altoona | 35 | $18,748,300 |
| Hollidaysburg | 10 | $6,581,700 |
| TYRONE | 6 | $1,000,000 |
| CLAYSBURG | 4 | $3,176,300 |
| DUNCANSVILLE | 4 | $1,990,900 |
| BELLWOOD | 2 | $2,120,000 |
| WILLIAMSBURG | 1 | $100,000 |
| EAST FREEDOM | 1 | $1,674,000 |
Altoona accounts for 35 approvals against 10 in Hollidaysburg. 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.
Blair County
How big is Blair County
- Land area526 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Pennsylvania counties43rd of 67
- Width, east to west26.5 mi
- Height, north to south34.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land231
- Establishments per square mile6.04
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.
Blair County
What hazards affect Blair County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book24
- Of those, participating in the NFIP24
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
The EPA places the county in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 8, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
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 Blair 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 Blair County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population121,277
- Households50,558
- Average household size2.40
- Median household income$62,382
- Median age43.1
Common questions
Blair County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Blair County, Pennsylvania?
121,277, in 50,558 households, ranking 28th of 67 Pennsylvania counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Blair County growing?
The population has fallen 2.08 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 1,170 births against 1,712 deaths, with net migration of 320. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Blair County?
$62,382. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $161,100, which is 2.6 times income, and median gross rent is $885 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Blair County?
3,178 establishments, employing 53,149 people with an annual payroll of $2.77 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 Blair County?
Average annual pay is $53,266, or $1,024 a week, across 58,025 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Blair County?
64 7(a) approvals totalling $35.4 m since FY2020, across 22 lenders, with a median approval of $153,000, plus 17 504 approvals worth $18.4 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Blair County get paid back?
Of the 12 loans that have reached a final outcome, 12 were paid in full and 0 charged off, a charge off rate of 0.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Blair County?
87 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $27.3 m. Multifamily was 20.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Blair County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 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 Blair County come from?
The largest single origin is Blair County Non-migrants, with 49,673 households. Arriving households report an average income of $59,100 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 Blair 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 Blair 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.