Jefferson County, Tennessee: commercial real estate data.
Jefferson County, Tennessee has a population of 56,864 across 274 square miles, up 8.3 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $2.45 bn in 2024, 771 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 33 7(a) approvals worth $13.3 m.
119 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Jefferson County
How many people live in Jefferson County
- Population56,864
- Households21,817
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$66,114
- Median age44.3
- Median gross rent$904 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$229,300
- Home value to household income3.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over41,208
- Population under 1810,933
- Share under 1819.2 percent
- Population 65 and over11,764
- Share 65 and over20.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6434,167
- Civilian labor force28,485
- Unemployment rate4.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.0 percent
- Rank by population among Tennessee counties27th of 95
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents930th
Jefferson County is the 27th largest of 95 Tennessee counties by population. A median home costs 3.5 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 20.7 percent against 19.2 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.
Jefferson County
Is Jefferson County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base8.30 percent
- Census 2020 base population54,681
- Births, 2024512
- Deaths, 2024807
- Natural change, 2024-295
- Net domestic migration, 20241,519
- Net international migration, 202497
- Total net migration, 20241,616
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20245,188
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents223rd
The county has grown 8.30 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 arriving2,236
- People arriving, from those returns4,373
- Adjusted gross income arriving$145.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$65,059
- Largest single originJefferson County Non-migrants (19,258 households)
- Largest single destination (19,258 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County Non-migrants | 19,258 | 39,732 | $1.37 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 868 | 1,725 | $74.4 m |
| Other flows - South | 472 | 933 | $38.5 m |
| Sevier County | 324 | 636 | $16.0 m |
| Knox County | 295 | 537 | $16.9 m |
| Hamblen County | 269 | 521 | $12.0 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 192 | 363 | $11.2 m |
| Other flows - West | 158 | 352 | $15.7 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$2.45 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.26 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20248.4 percent
- GDP change over five years34.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among Tennessee counties30th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1117th
- GDP per resident$43,008
Output grew 8.4 percent in the latest year and 34.7 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 average14,061
- Establishments reporting1,038
- Average annual pay$55,672
- Average weekly wage$1,071
- Sector 31-33, employment2,084
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$86,939
- Sector 44-45, employment1,809
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$35,495
- Sector 48-49, employment1,433
- Sector 48-49, average annual pay$76,692
- Sector 72, employment1,288
- Sector 72, average annual pay$21,582
- Sector 56, employment396
- Sector 54, employment361
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 2,084 | 60 | $86,939 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,809 | 140 | $35,495 |
| Sector 48-49 | 1,433 | 42 | $76,692 |
| Sector 72 | 1,288 | 83 | $21,582 |
| Sector 56 | 396 | 44 | $36,599 |
| Sector 54 | 361 | 100 | $51,594 |
| Sector 81 | 340 | 72 | $48,400 |
| Sector 52 | 215 | 64 | $59,278 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 2,084 jobs, 14.8 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.
Jefferson County
What businesses operate in Jefferson County
- Establishments, all industries771
- Employment at those establishments11,709
- Annual payroll$548.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents13.6
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, 2024254
- Declared construction value permitted$96.6 m
- Single family units authorised244
- Multifamily units authorised10
- Multifamily share of units3.9 percent
- Average declared value per unit$380,286
- Units authorised per 1,000 households11.6
Multifamily is 3.9 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 recorded33
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$13.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$401,591
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$24,400
- 90th percentile approval$1,012,000
- Largest single approval$2,871,100
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)353
- Jobs per approval10.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active17
- Distinct industries receiving approvals23
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer9.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter29
- Franchise loans4
- Franchise share of approvals12.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFinfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (4)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (8)
- 504 approvals recorded4
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.6 m
- Average 504 approval$640,500
- Median 504 approval$746,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval12.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved19.5
- Most active CDCBrightbridge, Inc. (4)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals89.2 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$15.8 m
The average approval of $401,591 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 9.1 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 recorded6
- Paid in full6
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure22
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Cancelled4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 6 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.
Jefferson County
Which parts of Jefferson County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending4
- JEFFERSON CITY, approvals17
- Dandridge, approvals10
- NEW MARKET, approvals4
- White Pine, approvals2
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| JEFFERSON CITY | 17 | $7,287,200 |
| Dandridge | 10 | $4,964,000 |
| NEW MARKET | 4 | $829,300 |
| White Pine | 2 | $172,000 |
JEFFERSON CITY accounts for 17 approvals against 10 in Dandridge. 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 area274 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Tennessee counties79th of 95
- Width, east to west24.6 mi
- Height, north to south19.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land208
- Establishments per square mile2.81
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.
- Population56,864
- Households21,817
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$66,114
- Median age44.3
Common questions
Jefferson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Jefferson County, Tennessee?
56,864, in 21,817 households, ranking 27th of 95 Tennessee counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Jefferson County growing?
The population has grown 8.30 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 512 births against 807 deaths, with net migration of 1,616. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Jefferson County?
$66,114. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $229,300, which is 3.5 times income, and median gross rent is $904 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Jefferson County?
771 establishments, employing 11,709 people with an annual payroll of $548.2 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 Jefferson County?
Average annual pay is $55,672, or $1,071 a week, across 14,061 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?
33 7(a) approvals totalling $13.3 m since FY2020, across 17 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 4 504 approvals worth $2.6 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Jefferson County?
254 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $96.6 m. Multifamily was 3.9 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Jefferson 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 Jefferson County come from?
The largest single origin is Jefferson County Non-migrants, with 19,258 households. Arriving households report an average income of $65,059 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.