Knox County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Knox County, Illinois had an estimated 48,716 residents on July 1, 2024, down 2.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 49,970, across 716 square miles. County output reached $2.45 bn in 2024, 968 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 26 7(a) approvals worth $24.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Knox County
How many people live in Knox County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202449,046
- Households20,972
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$57,030
- Median age42.6
- Median gross rent$788 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$111,900
- Home value to household income2.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over34,285
- Population under 189,907
- Share under 1820.2 percent
- Population 65 and over10,907
- Share 65 and over22.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6428,232
- Civilian labor force22,264
- Unemployment rate5.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.9 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties29th of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1026th of 3,222
Knox County is the 29th largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 2.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.2 percent against 20.2 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Knox County
Is Knox County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202448,716
- Census 2020 base population49,970
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.51 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202453
- Births, 2024485
- Deaths, 2024706
- Natural change, 2024-221
- Net domestic migration, 2024-107
- Net international migration, 2024380
- Total net migration, 2024273
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-1,025
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2634th of 3,144
The county has lost 2.51 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.
Knox County
Where are people moving to Knox County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving860
- People arriving, from those returns1,499
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,023
- Net household movement-163
- Adjusted gross income arriving$42.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-4.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$49,035
- Average income of a leaving household$45,889
- Largest single originWarren County (117 households)
- Largest single destinationPeoria County (97 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warren County | 117 | 207 | $4.6 m |
| Peoria County | 87 | 152 | $4.8 m |
| Henry County | 44 | 94 | $2.7 m |
| Cook County | 40 | 73 | $2.9 m |
| Fulton County | 30 | 52 | $1.6 m |
| Rock Island County | 27 | 41 | $1.0 m |
| Scott County | 24 | 37 | $1.2 m |
| McDonough County | 22 | 40 | $1.4 m |
Households arriving report $3,146 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 Warren 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.
Knox County
What is the Knox County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.45 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.31 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.9 percent
- GDP change over five years36.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Illinois areas BEA publishes32nd of 102
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1114th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$49,926
Output grew 5.9 percent in the latest year and 36.0 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.
Knox County
Employment by industry in Knox County
- Covered employment, annual average17,106
- Establishments reporting980
- Average annual pay$46,491
- Average weekly wage$894
- Retail trade, employment2,362
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,856
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,579
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,595
- Manufacturing, employment1,251
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$61,285
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment739
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$43,966
- Wholesale trade, employment650
- Other services, except public administration, employment538
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 2,362 | 133 | $30,856 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,579 | 120 | $20,595 |
| Manufacturing | 1,251 | 41 | $61,285 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 739 | 49 | $43,966 |
| Wholesale trade | 650 | 47 | $71,357 |
| Other services, except public administration | 538 | 86 | $36,037 |
| Construction | 530 | 77 | $62,123 |
| Finance and insurance | 298 | 52 | $64,021 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 2,362 jobs, 13.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Knox County
How many businesses are in Knox County?
- Establishments, all industries968
- Employment at those establishments14,242
- Annual payroll$572.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.7
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.
Knox County
Building permits in Knox County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20242
- Declared construction value permitted$350,000
- Single family units authorized2
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$175,000
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.1
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.
Knox County
SBA loans in Knox County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded26
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$24.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$944,481
- Median 7(a) approval$299,600
- 10th percentile approval$33,450
- 90th percentile approval$2,898,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)265
- Jobs per approval10.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active16
- Distinct industries receiving approvals21
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer42.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms11
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter14
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals23.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (4)
- Most active lenderFirst Mid Bank & Trust, National Association (4)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$344,000
- Average 504 approval$172,000
- Median 504 approval$172,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval2.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.6
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$24.9 m
The average approval of $944,481 sits well above the median of $299,600, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 42.3 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.
Knox County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Knox County
Do SBA loans in Knox County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full4
- Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure16
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Charged off1
Only 5 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.
Knox County
SBA lending by place in Knox County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Galesburg, approvals21
- Gatesburg, approvals1
- Altona, approvals1
- East Galesburg, approvals1
- Rio, approvals1
- Dunedin, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Galesburg | 21 | $20,773,500 |
| Gatesburg | 1 | $3,108,000 |
| Altona | 1 | $525,000 |
| East Galesburg | 1 | $75,000 |
| Rio | 1 | $70,000 |
| Dunedin | 1 | $5,000 |
Galesburg accounts for 21 approvals against 1 in Gatesburg. 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.
Knox County
How large is Knox County?
- Land area716 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties21st of 102
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south30.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land69
- Establishments per square mile1.35
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.
Knox County
Flood risk in Knox County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Knox County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 170914
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book11
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- NFIP participation rate90.9 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Knox County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Knox County (community 170914), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Knox County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 90.9 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 Knox 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 Knox County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202449,046
- Households20,972
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$57,030
- Median age42.6
Common questions
Knox County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Knox County, Illinois?
The Census Bureau estimates 48,716 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 49,046, in 20,972 households, ranking 29th of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Knox County's population growing?
The population has fallen 2.51 percent since the 2020 census base of 49,970, to 48,716 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 485 births against 706 deaths, with net migration of 273. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Knox County?
$57,030. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $111,900, which is 2.0 times income, and median gross rent is $788 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Knox County?
968 establishments, employing 14,242 people with an annual payroll of $572.3 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 Knox County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 2,362 jobs, 13.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 17,106 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,491, or $894 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Knox County?
26 7(a) approvals totaling $24.6 m since FY2020, across 16 lenders, with a median approval of $299,600, plus 2 504 approvals worth $344,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Knox County?
2 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $350,000. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Knox County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 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 Knox County come from?
The largest single origin is Warren County, with 117 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,035 against $45,889 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Knox 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 Knox 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.
Knox County
Cities and places in Knox.
17 Census places lie wholly or partly in Knox County. All 17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galesburg | city | 29,481 | 21 | Wholly in this county |
| Abingdon | city | 3,443 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Knoxville | city | 3,211 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oak Run | CDP | 800 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oneida | city | 719 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| East Galesburg | village | 713 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Wataga | village | 710 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Williamsfield | village | 531 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Yates City | village | 500 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Altona | village | 498 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| London Mills | village | 328 | None recorded | 19.9 percent here, 80.1 percent Fulton County |
| Henderson | village | 284 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Victoria | village | 254 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rio | village | 205 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Maquon | village | 161 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Gilson | CDP | 120 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| St. Augustine | village | 92 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 26 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Knox County, the largest being Gatesburg (1), Dunedin (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