Galveston County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Galveston County, Texas has a population of 358,990 across 378 square miles, up 4.8 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $26.34 bn in 2024, 6,597 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 282 7(a) approvals worth $223.9 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Galveston County
How many people live in Galveston County
- Population358,990
- Households140,660
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$86,105
- Median age38.8
- Median gross rent$1,404 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$314,600
- Home value to household income3.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher34.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over244,454
- Population under 1884,684
- Share under 1823.6 percent
- Population 65 and over56,604
- Share 65 and over15.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64217,702
- Civilian labor force180,394
- Unemployment rate5.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.8 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties16th of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents209th
Galveston County is the 16th largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.6 percent against 15.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Galveston County
Is Galveston County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.77 percent
- Census 2020 base population350,686
- Births, 20243,892
- Deaths, 20243,250
- Natural change, 2024642
- Net domestic migration, 20242,760
- Net international migration, 20241,425
- Total net migration, 20244,185
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202410,273
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents562nd
The county has grown 4.77 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Galveston County
Where people moving to Galveston County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving10,718
- People arriving, from those returns19,772
- Adjusted gross income arriving$831.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$77,613
- Largest single originGalveston County Non-migrants (123,645 households)
- Largest single destination (123,645 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galveston County Non-migrants | 123,645 | 258,540 | $12.11 bn |
| Harris County | 4,404 | 8,037 | $343.0 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 2,339 | 4,455 | $179.8 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,062 | 2,001 | $73.4 m |
| Brazoria County | 830 | 1,656 | $63.0 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 716 | 1,290 | $46.0 m |
| Other flows - West | 519 | 1,058 | $43.7 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 506 | 944 | $41.2 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Galveston 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.
Galveston County
What the Galveston County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$26.34 bn
- County GDP, 2023$25.94 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.5 percent
- GDP change over five years67.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among Texas counties16th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents215th
- GDP per resident$73,363
Output grew 1.5 percent in the latest year and 67.9 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.
Galveston County
Who employs people in Galveston County
- Covered employment, annual average122,734
- Establishments reporting6,943
- Average annual pay$62,650
- Average weekly wage$1,205
- Sector 72, employment18,949
- Sector 72, average annual pay$25,458
- Sector 44-45, employment13,804
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$38,288
- Sector 62, employment10,162
- Sector 62, average annual pay$52,593
- Sector 23, employment7,451
- Sector 23, average annual pay$82,928
- Sector 31-33, employment6,054
- Sector 56, employment4,993
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 72 | 18,949 | 819 | $25,458 |
| Sector 44-45 | 13,804 | 944 | $38,288 |
| Sector 62 | 10,162 | 716 | $52,593 |
| Sector 23 | 7,451 | 547 | $82,928 |
| Sector 31-33 | 6,054 | 240 | $135,037 |
| Sector 56 | 4,993 | 392 | $54,337 |
| Sector 48-49 | 4,739 | 176 | $58,102 |
| Sector 54 | 4,719 | 764 | $80,522 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 18,949 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.
Galveston County
What businesses operate in Galveston County
- Establishments, all industries6,597
- Employment at those establishments95,225
- Annual payroll$5.03 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents18.4
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.
Galveston County
What is being built in Galveston County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20243,148
- Declared construction value permitted$894.3 m
- Single family units authorised3,148
- Multifamily units authorised0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$284,088
- Units authorised per 1,000 households22.4
Multifamily is 0.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Galveston County
How much SBA lending happens in Galveston County
- 7(a) approvals recorded282
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$223.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$793,878
- Median 7(a) approval$326,000
- 10th percentile approval$35,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,510,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)3,476
- Jobs per approval12.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active79
- Distinct industries receiving approvals114
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer26.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms75
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter185
- Franchise loans98
- Franchise share of approvals34.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (19)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (35)
- 504 approvals recorded63
- 504 gross approval dollars$56.8 m
- Average 504 approval$901,270
- Median 504 approval$545,000
- Distinct CDCs active10
- 504 jobs per approval10.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.1
- Most active CDCNorth Texas Certified Development Corporation (23)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals81.7 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$280.7 m
The average approval of $793,878 sits well above the median of $326,000, 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 26.6 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.
Galveston County
Do SBA loans in Galveston County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded37
- Paid in full30
- Charged off7
- Charge off rate on resolved loans18.9 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure187
- Status: Paid in full30
- Status: Cancelled42
- Status: Charged off7
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed16
Of the 37 loans that have reached a final outcome, 18.9 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.
Galveston County
Which parts of Galveston County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending16
- LEAGUE CITY, approvals99
- FRIENDSWOOD, approvals43
- GALVESTON, approvals35
- Texas City, approvals30
- KEMAH, approvals18
- Santa Fe, approvals15
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| LEAGUE CITY | 99 | $70,614,400 |
| FRIENDSWOOD | 43 | $21,360,000 |
| GALVESTON | 35 | $34,901,700 |
| Texas City | 30 | $38,341,200 |
| KEMAH | 18 | $13,294,600 |
| Santa Fe | 15 | $14,544,700 |
| DICKINSON | 12 | $5,030,200 |
| LA MARQUE | 9 | $2,733,500 |
LEAGUE CITY accounts for 99 approvals against 43 in FRIENDSWOOD. 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.
Galveston County
How big is Galveston County
- Land area378 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties244th of 254
- Width, east to west51.9 mi
- Height, north to south35.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land950
- Establishments per square mile17.45
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.
Galveston County
What hazards affect Galveston County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book15
- Of those, participating in the NFIP15
- 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 5
- Communities carrying a CRS class9
The EPA places the county in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 5, 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 Galveston 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 Galveston County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population358,990
- Households140,660
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$86,105
- Median age38.8
Common questions
Galveston County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Galveston County, Texas?
358,990, in 140,660 households, ranking 16th of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Galveston County growing?
The population has grown 4.77 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 3,892 births against 3,250 deaths, with net migration of 4,185. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Galveston County?
$86,105. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $314,600, which is 3.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,404 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Galveston County?
6,597 establishments, employing 95,225 people with an annual payroll of $5.03 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 Galveston County?
Average annual pay is $62,650, or $1,205 a week, across 122,734 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Galveston County?
282 7(a) approvals totalling $223.9 m since FY2020, across 79 lenders, with a median approval of $326,000, plus 63 504 approvals worth $56.8 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Galveston County get paid back?
Of the 37 loans that have reached a final outcome, 30 were paid in full and 7 charged off, a charge off rate of 18.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Galveston County?
3,148 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $894.3 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Galveston County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Galveston County come from?
The largest single origin is Galveston County Non-migrants, with 123,645 households. Arriving households report an average income of $77,613 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 Galveston 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 Galveston 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.