Sumter County, Georgia: commercial real estate data.
Sumter County, Georgia had an estimated 28,972 residents on July 1, 2024, down 2.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 29,614, across 483 square miles. County output reached $1.26 bn in 2024, 624 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 12 7(a) approvals worth $3.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Sumter County
How many people live in Sumter County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202429,061
- Households10,986
- Average household size2.65
- Median household income$42,653
- Median age37.9
- Median gross rent$857 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$120,200
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income24.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over18,529
- Population under 186,511
- Share under 1822.4 percent
- Population 65 and over5,152
- Share 65 and over17.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6417,398
- Civilian labor force13,269
- Unemployment rate4.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.8 percent
- Rank by population among Georgia counties65th of 159
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1504th of 3,222
Sumter County is the 65th largest of 159 Georgia counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.4 percent against 17.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Sumter County
Is Sumter County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202428,972
- Census 2020 base population29,614
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.17 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202430
- Births, 2024355
- Deaths, 2024374
- Natural change, 2024-19
- Net domestic migration, 20244
- Net international migration, 202445
- Total net migration, 202449
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-420
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2543rd of 3,144
The county has lost 2.17 percent of its population 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.
Sumter County
Where are people moving to Sumter County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving471
- People arriving, from those returns895
- Tax returns filed by households leaving503
- Net household movement-32
- Adjusted gross income arriving$22.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-563,000
- Average income of an arriving household$47,554
- Average income of a leaving household$45,648
- Largest single originLee County (35 households)
- Largest single destinationHouston County (45 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 35 | 65 | $1.5 m |
| Houston County | 29 | 52 | $667,000 |
| Schley County | 29 | 59 | $1.0 m |
| Dougherty County | 26 | 48 | $930,000 |
| Crisp County | 22 | 48 | $966,000 |
| Fulton County | 20 | 35 | $743,000 |
Households arriving report $1,906 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 Lee 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.
Sumter County
What is the Sumter County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.26 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.29 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-2.2 percent
- GDP change over five years14.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Georgia areas BEA publishes75th of 159
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1652nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$43,481
Output grew -2.2 percent in the latest year and 14.5 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.
Sumter County
Employment by industry in Sumter County
- Covered employment, annual average9,902
- Establishments reporting728
- Average annual pay$45,522
- Average weekly wage$875
- Retail trade, employment1,248
- Retail trade, average annual pay$29,759
- Accommodation and food services, employment963
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,568
- Manufacturing, employment956
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$59,868
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment370
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$32,995
- Construction, employment231
- Finance and insurance, employment192
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,248 | 121 | $29,759 |
| Accommodation and food services | 963 | 64 | $19,568 |
| Manufacturing | 956 | 40 | $59,868 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 370 | 32 | $32,995 |
| Construction | 231 | 42 | $49,753 |
| Finance and insurance | 192 | 35 | $70,375 |
| Other services, except public administration | 131 | 45 | $41,816 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 83 | 24 | $38,126 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,248 jobs, 12.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Sumter County
How many businesses are in Sumter County?
- Establishments, all industries624
- Employment at those establishments8,665
- Annual payroll$365.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.5
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.
Sumter County
Building permits in Sumter County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202439
- Declared construction value permitted$6.7 m
- Single family units authorized24
- Multifamily units authorized15
- Multifamily share of units38.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$170,729
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.5
Single-family homes are 61.5 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Sumter County
SBA loans in Sumter County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded12
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$3.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$278,208
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- Largest single approval$1,300,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)58
- Jobs per approval4.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals10
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter10
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals8.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countBroilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (3)
- Most active lenderWells Fargo Bank National Association (4)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.1 m
- Average 504 approval$550,000
- Median 504 approval$550,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval37.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved68.2
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$4.4 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.
Sumter County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Sumter County
Do SBA loans in Sumter County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full0
- Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure8
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Charged off1
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.
Sumter County
SBA lending by place in Sumter County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Americus, approvals11
- Leslie, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Americus | 11 | $2,038,500 |
| Leslie | 1 | $1,300,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Sumter County
How large is Sumter County?
- Land area483 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Georgia counties29th of 159
- Width, east to west30.6 mi
- Height, north to south24.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land60
- Establishments per square mile1.29
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.
Sumter County
Flood risk in Sumter County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Sumter County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 130521
- 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 Sumter 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 Sumter County (community 130521), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Sumter 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 Sumter 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 Sumter County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202429,061
- Households10,986
- Average household size2.65
- Median household income$42,653
- Median age37.9
Common questions
Sumter County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Sumter County, Georgia?
The Census Bureau estimates 28,972 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 29,061, in 10,986 households, ranking 65th of 159 Georgia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Sumter County's population growing?
The population has fallen 2.17 percent since the 2020 census base of 29,614, to 28,972 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 355 births against 374 deaths, with net migration of 49. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Sumter County?
$42,653. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $120,200, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $857 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Sumter County?
624 establishments, employing 8,665 people with an annual payroll of $365.2 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 Sumter County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,248 jobs, 12.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 9,902 jobs at an average annual pay of $45,522, or $875 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Sumter County?
12 7(a) approvals totaling $3.3 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $1.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Sumter County?
39 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $6.7 m. Multifamily was 38.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Sumter 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 Sumter County come from?
The largest single origin is Lee County, with 35 households. Arriving households report an average income of $47,554 against $45,648 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Sumter 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 Sumter 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.
Sumter County
Cities and places in Sumter.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Sumter 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Americus | city | 15,813 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Plains | city | 750 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Leslie | city | 510 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Andersonville | city | 231 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| De Soto | city | 99 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |