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Washington County, Tennessee: commercial real estate data.
Washington County, Tennessee has a population of 136,261 across 326 square miles, up 5.0 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $9.17 bn in 2024, 3,076 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 78 7(a) approvals worth $54.5 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Washington County
How many people live in Washington County
- Population136,261
- Households56,759
- Average household size2.40
- Median household income$62,809
- Median age40.2
- Median gross rent$1,005 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$249,000
- Home value to household income4.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher34.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over94,288
- Population under 1825,446
- Share under 1818.7 percent
- Population 65 and over25,751
- Share 65 and over18.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6485,064
- Civilian labor force68,169
- Unemployment rate4.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.5 percent
- Rank by population among Tennessee counties12th of 95
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents487th
Washington County is the 12th largest of 95 Tennessee counties by population. A median home costs 4.0 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 18.9 percent against 18.7 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.
Washington County
Is Washington County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.99 percent
- Census 2020 base population133,005
- Births, 20241,270
- Deaths, 20241,729
- Natural change, 2024-459
- Net domestic migration, 20241,140
- Net international migration, 2024317
- Total net migration, 20241,457
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20247,477
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents535th
The county has grown 4.99 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.
Washington County
Where people moving to Washington County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving4,924
- People arriving, from those returns8,768
- Adjusted gross income arriving$379.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$76,961
- Largest single originWashington County Non-migrants (47,632 households)
- Largest single destination (47,632 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County Non-migrants | 47,632 | 93,316 | $3.83 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 2,213 | 4,144 | $231.5 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,240 | 2,191 | $144.5 m |
| Sullivan County | 771 | 1,308 | $45.9 m |
| Carter County | 528 | 942 | $21.3 m |
| Other flows - West | 419 | 921 | $39.4 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 285 | 535 | $23.1 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 269 | 497 | $24.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Washington 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.
Washington County
What the Washington County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$9.17 bn
- County GDP, 2023$8.75 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.8 percent
- GDP change over five years41.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among Tennessee counties11th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents474th
- GDP per resident$67,328
Output grew 4.8 percent in the latest year and 41.8 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.
Washington County
Who employs people in Washington County
- Covered employment, annual average63,746
- Establishments reporting3,896
- Average annual pay$55,766
- Average weekly wage$1,072
- Sector 62, employment11,342
- Sector 62, average annual pay$66,233
- Sector 44-45, employment8,158
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$36,898
- Sector 72, employment7,517
- Sector 72, average annual pay$22,531
- Sector 31-33, employment4,909
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$65,749
- Sector 56, employment4,712
- Sector 42, employment2,489
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 11,342 | 531 | $66,233 |
| Sector 44-45 | 8,158 | 519 | $36,898 |
| Sector 72 | 7,517 | 333 | $22,531 |
| Sector 31-33 | 4,909 | 158 | $65,749 |
| Sector 56 | 4,712 | 220 | $38,234 |
| Sector 42 | 2,489 | 211 | $80,833 |
| Sector 54 | 2,176 | 444 | $75,719 |
| Sector 23 | 1,930 | 322 | $57,544 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 11,342 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.
Washington County
What businesses operate in Washington County
- Establishments, all industries3,076
- Employment at those establishments56,072
- Annual payroll$2.99 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.6
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.
Washington County
What is being built in Washington County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20241,155
- Declared construction value permitted$341.8 m
- Single family units authorised686
- Multifamily units authorised469
- Multifamily share of units40.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$295,970
- Units authorised per 1,000 households20.3
Multifamily is 40.6 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Washington County
How much SBA lending happens in Washington County
- 7(a) approvals recorded78
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$54.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$699,036
- Median 7(a) approval$325,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,499,800
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,055
- Jobs per approval13.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active41
- Distinct industries receiving approvals56
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer17.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms14
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter52
- Franchise loans23
- Franchise share of approvals29.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (3)
- Most active lenderThe First Bank and Trust Company (6)
- 504 approvals recorded10
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.0 m
- Average 504 approval$602,500
- Median 504 approval$437,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval6.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.0
- Most active CDCBrightbridge, Inc. (8)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals88.6 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$60.5 m
The average approval of $699,036 sits well above the median of $325,000, 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 17.9 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.
Washington County
Do SBA loans in Washington County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded28
- Paid in full23
- Charged off5
- Charge off rate on resolved loans17.9 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure41
- Status: Paid in full23
- Status: Cancelled6
- Status: Charged off5
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Of the 28 loans that have reached a final outcome, 17.9 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.
Washington County
Which parts of Washington County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending6
- JOHNSON CITY, approvals67
- JONESBOROUGH, approvals6
- Gray, approvals2
- MESA, approvals1
- LIMESTONE, approvals1
- Unicoi, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| JOHNSON CITY | 67 | $47,002,600 |
| JONESBOROUGH | 6 | $6,667,200 |
| Gray | 2 | $450,000 |
| MESA | 1 | $150,000 |
| LIMESTONE | 1 | $105,000 |
| Unicoi | 1 | $150,000 |
JOHNSON CITY accounts for 67 approvals against 6 in JONESBOROUGH. 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.
Washington County
How big is Washington County
- Land area326 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Tennessee counties68th of 95
- Width, east to west22.5 mi
- Height, north to south24.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land418
- Establishments per square mile9.44
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 Washington 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 Washington County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population136,261
- Households56,759
- Average household size2.40
- Median household income$62,809
- Median age40.2
Common questions
Washington County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Washington County, Tennessee?
136,261, in 56,759 households, ranking 12th of 95 Tennessee counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Washington County growing?
The population has grown 4.99 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 1,270 births against 1,729 deaths, with net migration of 1,457. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Washington County?
$62,809. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $249,000, which is 4.0 times income, and median gross rent is $1,005 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Washington County?
3,076 establishments, employing 56,072 people with an annual payroll of $2.99 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 Washington County?
Average annual pay is $55,766, or $1,072 a week, across 63,746 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Washington County?
78 7(a) approvals totalling $54.5 m since FY2020, across 41 lenders, with a median approval of $325,000, plus 10 504 approvals worth $6.0 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Washington County get paid back?
Of the 28 loans that have reached a final outcome, 23 were paid in full and 5 charged off, a charge off rate of 17.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Washington County?
1,155 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $341.8 m. Multifamily was 40.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Washington 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 Washington County come from?
The largest single origin is Washington County Non-migrants, with 47,632 households. Arriving households report an average income of $76,961 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 Washington 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 Washington 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.