Dawson County, Georgia: commercial real estate data.
Dawson County, Georgia had an estimated 33,748 residents on July 1, 2024, up 25.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 26,797, across 211 square miles. County output reached $1.55 bn in 2024, 921 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 40 7(a) approvals worth $22.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Dawson County
How many people live in Dawson County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202430,242
- Households11,573
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$92,991
- Median age42.7
- Median gross rent$1,626 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$406,700
- Home value to household income4.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income21.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher36.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree13.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over21,652
- Population under 186,177
- Share under 1820.4 percent
- Population 65 and over5,900
- Share 65 and over19.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6418,165
- Civilian labor force15,530
- Unemployment rate3.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.5 percent
- Rank by population among Georgia counties62nd of 159
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1475th of 3,222
Dawson County is the 62nd largest of 159 Georgia counties by population. A median home costs 4.4 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.4 percent against 19.5 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Dawson County
Is Dawson County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202433,748
- Census 2020 base population26,797
- Population change since the 2020 census base25.94 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20242,028
- Births, 2024365
- Deaths, 2024298
- Natural change, 202467
- Net domestic migration, 20241,936
- Net international migration, 202430
- Total net migration, 20241,966
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20246,453
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents4th of 3,144
The county has grown 25.94 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.
Dawson County
Where are people moving to Dawson County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,664
- People arriving, from those returns3,282
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,123
- Net household movement541
- Adjusted gross income arriving$146.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$58.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$87,762
- Average income of a leaving household$78,391
- Largest single originForsyth County (524 households)
- Largest single destinationForsyth County (244 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forsyth County | 524 | 1,079 | $45.7 m |
| Fulton County | 138 | 257 | $18.8 m |
| Lumpkin County | 129 | 272 | $7.3 m |
| Hall County | 108 | 179 | $6.1 m |
| Gwinnett County | 80 | 174 | $8.6 m |
| Cherokee County | 67 | 137 | $5.4 m |
| Cobb County | 40 | 68 | $4.0 m |
| DeKalb County | 33 | 71 | $3.7 m |
Households arriving report $9,371 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 Forsyth 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.
Dawson County
What is the Dawson County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.55 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.36 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 202413.8 percent
- GDP change over five years69.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Georgia areas BEA publishes60th of 159
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1490th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$51,287
Output grew 13.8 percent in the latest year and 69.1 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.
Dawson County
Employment by industry in Dawson County
- Covered employment, annual average11,405
- Establishments reporting1,030
- Average annual pay$42,703
- Average weekly wage$821
- Retail trade, employment3,127
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,883
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,569
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$25,341
- Manufacturing, employment977
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$58,865
- Health care and social assistance, employment638
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$52,714
- Construction, employment548
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment378
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 3,127 | 186 | $31,883 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,569 | 103 | $25,341 |
| Manufacturing | 977 | 34 | $58,865 |
| Health care and social assistance | 638 | 73 | $52,714 |
| Construction | 548 | 112 | $77,413 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 378 | 103 | $70,879 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 315 | 21 | $22,510 |
| Wholesale trade | 298 | 34 | $49,157 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 3,127 jobs, 27.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Dawson County
How many businesses are in Dawson County?
- Establishments, all industries921
- Employment at those establishments10,069
- Annual payroll$372.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents30.5
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.
Dawson County
Building permits in Dawson County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024887
- Declared construction value permitted$271.7 m
- Single family units authorized878
- Multifamily units authorized9
- Multifamily share of units1.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$306,294
- Units authorized per 1,000 households76.6
Single-family homes are 99.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Dawson County
SBA loans in Dawson County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded40
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$22.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$572,275
- Median 7(a) approval$396,000
- 10th percentile approval$42,900
- 90th percentile approval$1,471,820
- Largest single approval$2,470,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)318
- Jobs per approval8.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active26
- Distinct industries receiving approvals31
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms10
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter26
- Franchise loans12
- Franchise share of approvals30.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (4)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (6)
- 504 approvals recorded13
- 504 gross approval dollars$14.0 m
- Average 504 approval$1,075,000
- Median 504 approval$941,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval10.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.1
- Most active CDCCapital Partners Certified Development Company (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$36.9 m
The average approval of $572,275 sits well above the median of $396,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 25.0 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.
Dawson County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Dawson County
Do SBA loans in Dawson County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded10
- Paid in full8
- Charged off2
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Paid in full8
- Status: Exempt from disclosure24
- Status: Cancelled4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Only 10 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.
Dawson County
How large is Dawson County?
- Land area211 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Georgia counties134th of 159
- Width, east to west22.2 mi
- Height, north to south19.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land143
- Establishments per square mile4.36
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.
Dawson County
Flood risk in Dawson County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Dawson County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 130304
- 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 Dawson County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Dawson County (community 130304), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Dawson County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 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 Dawson 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 Dawson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202430,242
- Households11,573
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$92,991
- Median age42.7
Common questions
Dawson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Dawson County, Georgia?
The Census Bureau estimates 33,748 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 30,242, in 11,573 households, ranking 62nd of 159 Georgia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Dawson County's population growing?
The population has grown 25.94 percent since the 2020 census base of 26,797, to 33,748 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 365 births against 298 deaths, with net migration of 1,966. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Dawson County?
$92,991. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $406,700, which is 4.4 times income, and median gross rent is $1,626 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Dawson County?
921 establishments, employing 10,069 people with an annual payroll of $372.2 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 Dawson County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 3,127 jobs, 27.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 11,405 jobs at an average annual pay of $42,703, or $821 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Dawson County?
40 7(a) approvals totaling $22.9 m since FY2020, across 26 lenders, with a median approval of $396,000, plus 13 504 approvals worth $14.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Dawson County?
887 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $271.7 m. Multifamily was 1.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Dawson County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Dawson County come from?
The largest single origin is Forsyth County, with 524 households. Arriving households report an average income of $87,762 against $78,391 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Dawson 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 Dawson 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.
Dawson County
Cities and places in Dawson.
1 Census place lies wholly or partly in Dawson County. It carries enough published place level data for a page of its own and is linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawsonville | city | 4,403 | 40 | Wholly in this county |
Nearby