DeSoto County, Florida: commercial real estate data.
DeSoto County, Florida had an estimated 36,744 residents on July 1, 2024, up 8.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 33,975, across 637 square miles. County output reached $1.42 bn in 2024, 566 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 14 7(a) approvals worth $8.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
DeSoto County
How many people live in DeSoto County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202435,386
- Households12,824
- Average household size2.76
- Median household income$54,417
- Median age43.5
- Median gross rent$932 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$174,100
- Home value to household income3.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher10.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree3.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over26,215
- Population under 186,349
- Share under 1817.9 percent
- Population 65 and over8,417
- Share 65 and over23.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6420,620
- Civilian labor force14,817
- Unemployment rate9.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over51.0 percent
- Rank by population among Florida counties49th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1332nd of 3,222
DeSoto County is the 49th largest of 67 Florida counties by population. A median home costs 3.2 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.8 percent against 17.9 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
DeSoto County
Is DeSoto County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202436,744
- Census 2020 base population33,975
- Population change since the 2020 census base8.15 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024470
- Births, 2024390
- Deaths, 2024455
- Natural change, 2024-65
- Net domestic migration, 2024298
- Net international migration, 2024236
- Total net migration, 2024534
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,136
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents231st of 3,144
The county has grown 8.15 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration 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.
DeSoto County
Where are people moving to DeSoto County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,297
- People arriving, from those returns2,320
- Tax returns filed by households leaving882
- Net household movement415
- Adjusted gross income arriving$70.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$13.3 m
- Average income of an arriving household$54,101
- Average income of a leaving household$64,482
- Largest single originCharlotte County (235 households)
- Largest single destinationCharlotte County (146 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte County | 235 | 420 | $13.9 m |
| Sarasota County | 127 | 241 | $5.9 m |
| Lee County | 84 | 144 | $4.2 m |
| Manatee County | 79 | 173 | $4.6 m |
| Leon County | 38 | 40 | $182,000 |
| Hardee County | 34 | 74 | $978,000 |
| Highlands County | 30 | 57 | $1.1 m |
| Broward County | 20 | 33 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $10,381 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Charlotte 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.
DeSoto County
What is the DeSoto County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.42 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.41 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.0 percent
- GDP change over five years44.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Florida areas BEA publishes49th of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1562nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$40,097
Output grew 1.0 percent in the latest year and 44.0 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.
DeSoto County
Employment by industry in DeSoto County
- Covered employment, annual average9,915
- Establishments reporting739
- Average annual pay$49,347
- Average weekly wage$949
- Transportation and warehousing, employment1,290
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$52,857
- Retail trade, employment1,150
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,406
- Construction, employment862
- Construction, average annual pay$50,899
- Manufacturing, employment424
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$73,761
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment373
- Other services, except public administration, employment123
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,290 | 36 | $52,857 |
| Retail trade | 1,150 | 85 | $36,406 |
| Construction | 862 | 142 | $50,899 |
| Manufacturing | 424 | 24 | $73,761 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 373 | 60 | $50,511 |
| Other services, except public administration | 123 | 46 | $43,694 |
| Finance and insurance | 120 | 24 | $66,042 |
| Information | 98 | 6 | $33,316 |
Transportation and warehousing is the largest private sector at 1,290 jobs, 13.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
DeSoto County
How many businesses are in DeSoto County?
- Establishments, all industries566
- Employment at those establishments6,281
- Annual payroll$282.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents16.0
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.
DeSoto County
Building permits in DeSoto County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202471
- Declared construction value permitted$16.2 m
- Single family units authorized71
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$227,470
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.5
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
DeSoto County
SBA loans in DeSoto County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded14
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$8.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$568,929
- Median 7(a) approval$195,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)148
- Jobs per approval10.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active10
- Distinct industries receiving approvals12
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer21.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter10
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals7.1 percent
- Most active lenderJPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (3)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$282,000
- Average 504 approval$282,000
- Median 504 approval$282,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval0.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved0.0
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$8.2 m
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.
DeSoto County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in DeSoto County
Do SBA loans in DeSoto County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure12
- Status: Paid in full1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 1 loan has 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.
DeSoto County
SBA lending by place in DeSoto County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Arcadia, approvals11
- Lake Suzy, approvals2
- Bradenton, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Arcadia | 11 | $6,925,000 |
| Lake Suzy | 2 | $175,000 |
| Bradenton | 1 | $865,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
DeSoto County
How large is DeSoto County?
- Land area637 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Florida counties41st of 67
- Width, east to west30.5 mi
- Height, north to south21.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land56
- Establishments per square mile0.89
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.
DeSoto County
Flood risk in DeSoto County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Desoto County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 120072
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book2
- Of those, participating in the NFIP2
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in DeSoto County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Desoto County (community 120072), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places DeSoto County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 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 DeSoto 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 DeSoto County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202435,386
- Households12,824
- Average household size2.76
- Median household income$54,417
- Median age43.5
Common questions
DeSoto County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in DeSoto County, Florida?
The Census Bureau estimates 36,744 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 35,386, in 12,824 households, ranking 49th of 67 Florida counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is DeSoto County's population growing?
The population has grown 8.15 percent since the 2020 census base of 33,975, to 36,744 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 390 births against 455 deaths, with net migration of 534. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in DeSoto County?
$54,417. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $174,100, which is 3.2 times income, and median gross rent is $932 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in DeSoto County?
566 establishments, employing 6,281 people with an annual payroll of $282.0 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in DeSoto County?
Transportation and warehousing is the largest private sector at 1,290 jobs, 13.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 9,915 jobs at an average annual pay of $49,347, or $949 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in DeSoto County?
14 7(a) approvals totaling $8.0 m since FY2020, across 10 lenders, with a median approval of $195,000, plus 1 504 approvals worth $282,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in DeSoto County?
71 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $16.2 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for DeSoto 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 DeSoto County come from?
The largest single origin is Charlotte County, with 235 households. Arriving households report an average income of $54,101 against $64,482 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for DeSoto 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 DeSoto 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.
DeSoto County
Cities and places in DeSoto.
2 Census places lie wholly or partly in DeSoto County. All 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arcadia | city | 7,707 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Southeast Arcadia | CDP | 7,555 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 14 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in DeSoto County, the largest being Lake Suzy (2), Bradenton (1). 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.
Nearby