Walker County, Georgia: commercial real estate data.
Walker County, Georgia had an estimated 69,340 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 67,658, across 446 square miles. County output reached $2.27 bn in 2024, 756 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 32 7(a) approvals worth $20.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Walker County
How many people live in Walker County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202468,762
- Households26,355
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$59,469
- Median age42.1
- Median gross rent$940 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$197,100
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over48,971
- Population under 1814,556
- Share under 1821.2 percent
- Population 65 and over13,502
- Share 65 and over19.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6440,704
- Civilian labor force32,679
- Unemployment rate3.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.3 percent
- Rank by population among Georgia counties37th of 159
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included798th of 3,222
Walker County is the 37th largest of 159 Georgia counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.2 percent against 19.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Walker County
Is Walker County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202469,340
- Census 2020 base population67,658
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.49 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-70
- Births, 2024430
- Deaths, 2024874
- Natural change, 2024-444
- Net domestic migration, 2024325
- Net international migration, 202456
- Total net migration, 2024381
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,807
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1008th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.49 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Walker County
Where are people moving to Walker County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,110
- People arriving, from those returns4,118
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,717
- Net household movement393
- Adjusted gross income arriving$104.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$16.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$49,438
- Average income of a leaving household$51,430
- Largest single originHamilton County (548 households)
- Largest single destinationCatoosa County (436 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County | 548 | 1,048 | $31.1 m |
| Catoosa County | 519 | 1,024 | $21.7 m |
| Whitfield County | 91 | 190 | $4.1 m |
| Chattooga County | 77 | 152 | $2.8 m |
| Dade County | 57 | 127 | $2.0 m |
| Bradley County | 31 | 56 | $1.6 m |
| Floyd County | 22 | 51 | $1.1 m |
| Murray County | 22 | 54 | $620,000 |
Households arriving report $1,992 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Hamilton 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.
Walker County
What is the Walker County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.27 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.10 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.9 percent
- GDP change over five years50.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Georgia areas BEA publishes48th of 159
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1180th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$32,985
Output grew 7.9 percent in the latest year and 50.6 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.
Walker County
Employment by industry in Walker County
- Covered employment, annual average14,922
- Establishments reporting915
- Average annual pay$45,778
- Average weekly wage$880
- Manufacturing, employment5,084
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$46,374
- Retail trade, employment1,542
- Retail trade, average annual pay$28,186
- Finance and insurance, employment1,070
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$75,065
- Construction, employment581
- Construction, average annual pay$63,906
- Wholesale trade, employment342
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment307
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5,084 | 56 | $46,374 |
| Retail trade | 1,542 | 145 | $28,186 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,070 | 46 | $75,065 |
| Construction | 581 | 87 | $63,906 |
| Wholesale trade | 342 | 50 | $60,442 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 307 | 42 | $29,999 |
| Other services, except public administration | 229 | 58 | $44,436 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 61 | 29 | $49,667 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,084 jobs, 34.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Walker County
How many businesses are in Walker County?
- Establishments, all industries756
- Employment at those establishments12,406
- Annual payroll$515.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents11.0
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.
Walker County
Building permits in Walker County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024344
- Declared construction value permitted$81.8 m
- Single family units authorized317
- Multifamily units authorized27
- Multifamily share of units7.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$237,773
- Units authorized per 1,000 households13.1
Single-family homes are 92.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Walker County
SBA loans in Walker County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded32
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$20.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$625,938
- Median 7(a) approval$497,500
- 10th percentile approval$33,170
- 90th percentile approval$1,396,230
- Largest single approval$2,112,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)283
- Jobs per approval8.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active15
- Distinct industries receiving approvals25
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer31.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms10
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter20
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals15.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (3)
- Most active lenderLive Oak Banking Company (8)
- 504 approvals recorded7
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.5 m
- Average 504 approval$643,000
- Median 504 approval$665,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval5.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved7.8
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$24.5 m
The average approval of $625,938 sits well above the median of $497,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 31.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
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.
Walker County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Walker County
Do SBA loans in Walker County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded6
- Paid in full6
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled4
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Exempt from disclosure22
Only 6 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.
Walker County
SBA lending by place in Walker County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- LaFayette, approvals19
- Chickamauga, approvals8
- Rossville, approvals4
- Ringgold, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| LaFayette | 19 | $13,532,400 |
| Chickamauga | 8 | $5,663,500 |
| Rossville | 4 | $190,300 |
| Ringgold | 1 | $643,800 |
LaFayette accounts for 19 approvals against 8 in Chickamauga. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Walker County
How large is Walker County?
- Land area446 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Georgia counties40th of 159
- Width, east to west27.5 mi
- Height, north to south27.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land154
- Establishments per square mile1.70
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.
Walker County
Flood risk in Walker County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Walker County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 130180
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Walker 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 Walker County (community 130180), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Walker 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. 80.0 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 Walker 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 Walker County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202468,762
- Households26,355
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$59,469
- Median age42.1
Common questions
Walker County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Walker County, Georgia?
The Census Bureau estimates 69,340 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 68,762, in 26,355 households, ranking 37th of 159 Georgia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Walker County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.49 percent since the 2020 census base of 67,658, to 69,340 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 430 births against 874 deaths, with net migration of 381. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Walker County?
$59,469. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $197,100, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $940 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Walker County?
756 establishments, employing 12,406 people with an annual payroll of $515.3 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 Walker County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,084 jobs, 34.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 14,922 jobs at an average annual pay of $45,778, or $880 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Walker County?
32 7(a) approvals totaling $20.0 m since FY2020, across 15 lenders, with a median approval of $497,500, plus 7 504 approvals worth $4.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Walker County?
344 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $81.8 m. Multifamily was 7.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Walker 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 Walker County come from?
The largest single origin is Hamilton County, with 548 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,438 against $51,430 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Walker 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 Walker 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.
Walker County
Cities and places in Walker.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Walker County. All 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Oglethorpe | city | 10,416 | None recorded | 18.6 percent here, 81.4 percent Catoosa County |
| LaFayette | city | 6,967 | 19 | Wholly in this county |
| Fairview | CDP | 5,302 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lakeview | CDP | 4,723 | None recorded | 18.1 percent here, 81.9 percent Catoosa County |
| Chattanooga Valley | CDP | 4,601 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rossville | city | 3,978 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Chickamauga | city | 3,014 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Lookout Mountain | city | 1,721 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rock Spring | CDP | 1,183 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 32 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Walker County, the largest being Ringgold (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.