Washington County, Florida: commercial real estate data.
Washington County, Florida had an estimated 26,503 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 25,311, across 583 square miles. County output reached $943.5 m in 2024, 445 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 7 7(a) approvals worth $4.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Washington County
How many people live in Washington County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202425,529
- Households9,287
- Average household size2.75
- Median household income$58,210
- Median age41.7
- Median gross rent$888 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$171,000
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher11.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree4.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over18,682
- Population under 185,110
- Share under 1820.0 percent
- Population 65 and over4,803
- Share 65 and over18.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6415,616
- Civilian labor force9,765
- Unemployment rate3.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over47.8 percent
- Rank by population among Florida counties53rd of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1637th of 3,222
Washington County is the 53rd largest of 67 Florida counties by population. A median home costs 2.9 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.0 percent against 18.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Washington County
Is Washington County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202426,503
- Census 2020 base population25,311
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.71 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024958
- Births, 2024282
- Deaths, 2024355
- Natural change, 2024-73
- Net domestic migration, 2024975
- Net international migration, 202449
- Total net migration, 20241,024
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,436
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents578th of 3,144
The county has grown 4.71 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.
Washington County
Where are people moving to Washington County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving902
- People arriving, from those returns1,774
- Tax returns filed by households leaving732
- Net household movement170
- Adjusted gross income arriving$47.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$18.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$52,612
- Average income of a leaving household$39,150
- Largest single originBay County (249 households)
- Largest single destinationBay County (200 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bay County | 249 | 494 | $13.5 m |
| Jackson County | 86 | 175 | $3.2 m |
| Holmes County | 85 | 177 | $3.1 m |
| Walton County | 46 | 96 | $1.9 m |
| Okaloosa County | 25 | 47 | $885,000 |
Households arriving report $13,462 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 Bay 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.
Washington County
What is the Washington County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$943.5 m
- County GDP, 2023$881.0 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.1 percent
- GDP change over five years43.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Florida areas BEA publishes53rd of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1888th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$36,957
Output grew 7.1 percent in the latest year and 43.2 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
Employment by industry in Washington County
- Covered employment, annual average6,230
- Establishments reporting552
- Average annual pay$45,572
- Average weekly wage$876
- Retail trade, employment804
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,833
- Construction, employment557
- Construction, average annual pay$46,761
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment328
- Professional, scientific and technical services, average annual pay$75,720
- Wholesale trade, employment182
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$62,341
- Manufacturing, employment163
- Finance and insurance, employment134
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 804 | 71 | $30,833 |
| Construction | 557 | 104 | $46,761 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 328 | 50 | $75,720 |
| Wholesale trade | 182 | 12 | $62,341 |
| Manufacturing | 163 | 10 | $34,038 |
| Finance and insurance | 134 | 25 | $55,904 |
| Other services, except public administration | 82 | 29 | $34,755 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 31 | 18 | $35,748 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 804 jobs, 12.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Washington County
How many businesses are in Washington County?
- Establishments, all industries445
- Employment at those establishments4,041
- Annual payroll$163.6 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.4
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. 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.
Washington County
Building permits in Washington County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024217
- Declared construction value permitted$50.6 m
- Single family units authorized217
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$233,138
- Units authorized per 1,000 households23.4
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.
Washington County
SBA loans in Washington County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded7
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$4.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$655,114
- Median 7(a) approval$500,000
- Largest single approval$2,370,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)91
- Jobs per approval13.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active5
- Distinct industries receiving approvals6
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer28.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter5
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals14.3 percent
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$453,000
- Average 504 approval$151,000
- Median 504 approval$142,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval4.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved26.5
- Most active CDCFlorida First Capital Finance Corporation, Inc. (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$5.0 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.
Washington County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Washington County
Do SBA loans in Washington County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure5
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 0 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.
Washington County
SBA lending by place in Washington County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Chipley, approvals5
- Vernon, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Chipley | 5 | $3,585,800 |
| Vernon | 2 | $1,000,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Washington County
How large is Washington County?
- Land area583 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Florida counties47th of 67
- Width, east to west33.4 mi
- Height, north to south30.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land44
- Establishments per square mile0.76
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.
Washington County
Flood risk in Washington County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Washington County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 120407
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Washington 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 Washington County (community 120407), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Washington 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 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.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202425,529
- Households9,287
- Average household size2.75
- Median household income$58,210
- Median age41.7
Common questions
Washington County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Washington County, Florida?
The Census Bureau estimates 26,503 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 25,529, in 9,287 households, ranking 53rd of 67 Florida counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Washington County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.71 percent since the 2020 census base of 25,311, to 26,503 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 282 births against 355 deaths, with net migration of 1,024. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Washington County?
$58,210. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $171,000, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $888 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Washington County?
445 establishments, employing 4,041 people with an annual payroll of $163.6 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 Washington County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 804 jobs, 12.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 6,230 jobs at an average annual pay of $45,572, or $876 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Washington County?
7 7(a) approvals totaling $4.6 m since FY2020, across 5 lenders, with a median approval of $500,000, plus 3 504 approvals worth $453,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Washington County?
217 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $50.6 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Washington 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 Washington County come from?
The largest single origin is Bay County, with 249 households. Arriving households report an average income of $52,612 against $39,150 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?
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.
Washington County
Cities and places in Washington.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Washington County. All 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chipley | city | 3,683 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Vernon | city | 815 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Wausau | town | 320 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Caryville | town | 309 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ebro | town | 229 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby