Limestone County, Alabama: commercial real estate data.
Limestone County, Alabama had an estimated 118,942 residents on July 1, 2024, up 14.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 103,561, across 560 square miles. County output reached $6.97 bn in 2024, 1,629 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 32 7(a) approvals worth $21.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Limestone County
How many people live in Limestone County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024111,233
- Households40,953
- Average household size2.72
- Median household income$83,629
- Median age40.8
- Median gross rent$970 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$281,000
- Home value to household income3.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher30.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over78,232
- Population under 1824,658
- Share under 1822.2 percent
- Population 65 and over17,314
- Share 65 and over15.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6469,261
- Civilian labor force53,892
- Unemployment rate3.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.2 percent
- Rank by population among Alabama counties11th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included566th of 3,222
Limestone County is the 11th largest of 67 Alabama counties by population. A median home costs 3.4 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.2 percent against 15.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Limestone County
Is Limestone County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024118,942
- Census 2020 base population103,561
- Population change since the 2020 census base14.85 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20244,139
- Births, 20241,204
- Deaths, 20241,029
- Natural change, 2024175
- Net domestic migration, 20243,714
- Net international migration, 2024265
- Total net migration, 20243,979
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202413,638
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents63rd of 3,144
The county has grown 14.85 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Limestone County
Where are people moving to Limestone County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,912
- People arriving, from those returns7,855
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,635
- Net household movement1,277
- Adjusted gross income arriving$306.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$113.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$78,384
- Average income of a leaving household$73,414
- Largest single originMadison County (1,562 households)
- Largest single destinationMadison County (983 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 1,562 | 3,233 | $133.7 m |
| Morgan County | 221 | 402 | $12.7 m |
| Lauderdale County | 113 | 205 | $6.4 m |
| Jefferson County | 75 | 141 | $5.4 m |
| Giles County | 67 | 132 | $3.8 m |
| Cullman County | 40 | 66 | $2.7 m |
| Lincoln County | 39 | 64 | $2.0 m |
| Marshall County | 34 | 54 | $1.8 m |
Households arriving report $4,970 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Madison County, 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.
Limestone County
What is the Limestone County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$6.97 bn
- County GDP, 2023$6.64 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.0 percent
- GDP change over five years57.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Alabama areas BEA publishes11th of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes588th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$62,669
Output grew 5.0 percent in the latest year and 57.6 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.
Limestone County
Employment by industry in Limestone County
- Covered employment, annual average34,080
- Establishments reporting2,050
- Average annual pay$62,717
- Average weekly wage$1,206
- Manufacturing, employment8,312
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$65,952
- Retail trade, employment4,681
- Retail trade, average annual pay$41,900
- Construction, employment2,658
- Construction, average annual pay$75,597
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,263
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$23,010
- Transportation and warehousing, employment2,109
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,819
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,312 | 132 | $65,952 |
| Retail trade | 4,681 | 289 | $41,900 |
| Construction | 2,658 | 222 | $75,597 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,263 | 149 | $23,010 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,109 | 66 | $66,600 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,819 | 225 | $55,063 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 848 | 240 | $82,925 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 746 | 119 | $45,182 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 8,312 jobs, 24.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Limestone County
How many businesses are in Limestone County?
- Establishments, all industries1,629
- Employment at those establishments28,343
- Annual payroll$1.50 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents14.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Limestone County
Building permits in Limestone County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024496
- Declared construction value permitted$141.9 m
- Single family units authorized494
- Multifamily units authorized2
- Multifamily share of units0.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$286,132
- Units authorized per 1,000 households12.1
Single-family homes are 99.6 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Limestone County
SBA loans in Limestone County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded32
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$21.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$654,813
- Median 7(a) approval$250,000
- 10th percentile approval$57,500
- 90th percentile approval$1,654,200
- Largest single approval$4,800,500
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)288
- Jobs per approval9.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active22
- Distinct industries receiving approvals28
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer15.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter26
- Franchise loans11
- Franchise share of approvals34.4 percent
- Most active lenderNortheast Bank (5)
- 504 approvals recorded21
- 504 gross approval dollars$15.2 m
- Average 504 approval$725,714
- Median 504 approval$457,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval14.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved19.2
- Most active CDCSouthern Development Council (13)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$36.2 m
The average approval of $654,813 sits well above the median of $250,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 15.6 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.
Limestone County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Limestone County
Do SBA loans in Limestone County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
- Status: Cancelled11
- Status: Exempt from disclosure15
Only 4 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Limestone County
SBA lending by place in Limestone County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Madison, approvals15
- Athens, approvals14
- Tanner, approvals2
- Elkmont, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Madison | 15 | $10,406,800 |
| Athens | 14 | $9,442,200 |
| Tanner | 2 | $980,000 |
| Elkmont | 1 | $125,000 |
Madison accounts for 15 approvals against 14 in Athens. 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.
Limestone County
How large is Limestone County?
- Land area560 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Alabama counties64th of 67
- Width, east to west27.1 mi
- Height, north to south31 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land199
- Establishments per square mile2.91
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.
Limestone County
Flood risk in Limestone County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Limestone County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 010307
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- 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 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class3
- Radon levels in Limestone County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Limestone County (community 010307), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Limestone County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Limestone 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 Limestone County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024111,233
- Households40,953
- Average household size2.72
- Median household income$83,629
- Median age40.8
Common questions
Limestone County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Limestone County, Alabama?
The Census Bureau estimates 118,942 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 111,233, in 40,953 households, ranking 11th of 67 Alabama counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Limestone County's population growing?
The population has grown 14.85 percent since the 2020 census base of 103,561, to 118,942 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,204 births against 1,029 deaths, with net migration of 3,979. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Limestone County?
$83,629. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $281,000, which is 3.4 times income, and median gross rent is $970 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Limestone County?
1,629 establishments, employing 28,343 people with an annual payroll of $1.50 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Limestone County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 8,312 jobs, 24.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 34,080 jobs at an average annual pay of $62,717, or $1,206 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Limestone County?
32 7(a) approvals totaling $21.0 m since FY2020, across 22 lenders, with a median approval of $250,000, plus 21 504 approvals worth $15.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Limestone County?
496 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $141.9 m. Multifamily was 0.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Limestone 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 Limestone County come from?
The largest single origin is Madison County, with 1,562 households. Arriving households report an average income of $78,384 against $73,414 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Limestone 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 Limestone County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Limestone County
Cities and places in Limestone.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Limestone County. All 8 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | city | 222,791 | None recorded | 19.7 percent here, 79.9 percent Madison County |
| Madison | city | 60,106 | 15 | 23.7 percent here, 76.3 percent Madison County |
| Decatur | city | 57,361 | None recorded | 8.6 percent here, 91.4 percent Morgan County |
| Athens | city | 29,002 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Ardmore | town | 1,384 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Elkmont | town | 264 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Lester | town | 181 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mooresville | town | 81 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 32 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Limestone County, the largest being Tanner (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
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