Oglethorpe County, Georgia: commercial real estate data.
Oglethorpe County, Georgia had an estimated 16,172 residents on July 1, 2024, up 9.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,823, across 439 square miles. County output reached $517.6 m in 2024, 182 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 9 7(a) approvals worth $4.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Oglethorpe County
How many people live in Oglethorpe County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202415,509
- Households5,411
- Average household size2.87
- Median household income$75,034
- Median age43.2
- Median gross rent$913 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$231,600
- Home value to household income3.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher25.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over11,028
- Population under 183,332
- Share under 1821.5 percent
- Population 65 and over2,969
- Share 65 and over19.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,208
- Civilian labor force7,553
- Unemployment rate3.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.0 percent
- Rank by population among Georgia counties107th of 159
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2125th of 3,222
Oglethorpe County is the 107th largest of 159 Georgia counties by population. A median home costs 3.1 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.5 percent against 19.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Oglethorpe County
Is Oglethorpe County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202416,172
- Census 2020 base population14,823
- Population change since the 2020 census base9.10 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024384
- Births, 2024166
- Deaths, 2024158
- Natural change, 20248
- Net domestic migration, 2024360
- Net international migration, 202420
- Total net migration, 2024380
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,307
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents179th of 3,144
The county has grown 9.10 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.
Oglethorpe County
Where are people moving to Oglethorpe County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving506
- People arriving, from those returns1,028
- Tax returns filed by households leaving379
- Net household movement127
- Adjusted gross income arriving$28.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$8.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$56,130
- Average income of a leaving household$51,573
- Largest single originClarke County (154 households)
- Largest single destinationClarke County (105 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke County | 154 | 304 | $6.8 m |
| Madison County | 65 | 147 | $3.7 m |
| Oconee County | 24 | 54 | $1.5 m |
| Barrow County | 20 | 42 | $850,000 |
| Jackson County | 20 | 45 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $4,557 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 Clarke 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.
Oglethorpe County
What is the Oglethorpe County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$517.6 m
- County GDP, 2023$443.9 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 202416.6 percent
- GDP change over five years99.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Georgia areas BEA publishes111th of 159
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2385th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$33,376
Output grew 16.6 percent in the latest year and 99.4 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.
Oglethorpe County
Employment by industry in Oglethorpe County
- Covered employment, annual average2,094
- Establishments reporting249
- Average annual pay$45,812
- Average weekly wage$881
- Construction, employment308
- Construction, average annual pay$56,240
- Manufacturing, employment206
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$75,436
- Retail trade, employment138
- Retail trade, average annual pay$27,073
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment127
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, average annual pay$42,239
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment56
- Other services, except public administration, employment29
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 308 | 42 | $56,240 |
| Manufacturing | 206 | 14 | $75,436 |
| Retail trade | 138 | 20 | $27,073 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 127 | 21 | $42,239 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 56 | 8 | $60,562 |
| Other services, except public administration | 29 | 10 | $31,496 |
Construction is the largest private sector at 308 jobs, 14.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Oglethorpe County
How many businesses are in Oglethorpe County?
- Establishments, all industries182
- Employment at those establishments1,104
- Annual payroll$43.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents11.7
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.
Oglethorpe County
Building permits in Oglethorpe County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024140
- Declared construction value permitted$27.5 m
- Single family units authorized140
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$196,183
- Units authorized per 1,000 households25.9
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.
Oglethorpe County
SBA loans in Oglethorpe County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded9
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$4.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$480,644
- Median 7(a) approval$225,000
- Largest single approval$1,408,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)76
- Jobs per approval8.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active8
- Distinct industries receiving approvals8
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer33.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals11.1 percent
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$3.3 m
- Average 504 approval$1,632,500
- Median 504 approval$1,632,500
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval71.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved43.8
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$7.6 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.
Oglethorpe County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Oglethorpe County
Do SBA loans in Oglethorpe County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 3 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.
Oglethorpe County
SBA lending by place in Oglethorpe County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Crawford, approvals4
- Arnoldsville, approvals2
- Lexington, approvals2
- Colbert, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Crawford | 4 | $2,200,000 |
| Arnoldsville | 2 | $467,800 |
| Lexington | 2 | $250,000 |
| Colbert | 1 | $1,408,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Oglethorpe County
How large is Oglethorpe County?
- Land area439 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Georgia counties43rd of 159
- Width, east to west28.8 mi
- Height, north to south24.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land35
- Establishments per square mile0.41
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.
Oglethorpe County
Flood risk in Oglethorpe County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Oglethorpe County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 130370
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate75.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Oglethorpe 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 Oglethorpe County (community 130370), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Oglethorpe 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. 75.0 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 Oglethorpe 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 Oglethorpe County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202415,509
- Households5,411
- Average household size2.87
- Median household income$75,034
- Median age43.2
Common questions
Oglethorpe County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Oglethorpe County, Georgia?
The Census Bureau estimates 16,172 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 15,509, in 5,411 households, ranking 107th of 159 Georgia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Oglethorpe County's population growing?
The population has grown 9.10 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,823, to 16,172 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 166 births against 158 deaths, with net migration of 380. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Oglethorpe County?
$75,034. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $231,600, which is 3.1 times income, and median gross rent is $913 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Oglethorpe County?
182 establishments, employing 1,104 people with an annual payroll of $43.8 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 Oglethorpe County?
Construction is the largest private sector at 308 jobs, 14.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 2,094 jobs at an average annual pay of $45,812, or $881 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Oglethorpe County?
9 7(a) approvals totaling $4.3 m since FY2020, across 8 lenders, with a median approval of $225,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $3.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Oglethorpe County?
140 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $27.5 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Oglethorpe 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 Oglethorpe County come from?
The largest single origin is Clarke County, with 154 households. Arriving households report an average income of $56,130 against $51,573 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Oglethorpe 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 Oglethorpe 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.
Oglethorpe County
Cities and places in Oglethorpe.
4 Census places lie wholly or partly in Oglethorpe County. All 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawford | city | 1,016 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Lexington | city | 520 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Arnoldsville | city | 500 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Maxeys | town | 360 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 9 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Oglethorpe County, the largest being Colbert (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