Jay County, Indiana: commercial real estate data.
Jay County, Indiana had an estimated 20,164 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 20,477, across 384 square miles. County output reached $1.55 bn in 2024, 411 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 8 7(a) approvals worth $1.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Jay County
How many people live in Jay County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202420,229
- Households7,807
- Average household size2.59
- Median household income$54,969
- Median age39.5
- Median gross rent$770 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$117,500
- Home value to household income2.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher13.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over13,385
- Population under 185,185
- Share under 1825.6 percent
- Population 65 and over3,700
- Share 65 and over18.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6411,344
- Civilian labor force9,291
- Unemployment rate4.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.8 percent
- Rank by population among Indiana counties72nd of 92
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1863rd of 3,222
Jay County is the 72nd largest of 92 Indiana counties by population. A median home costs 2.1 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.6 percent against 18.3 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Jay County
Is Jay County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202420,164
- Census 2020 base population20,477
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.53 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202495
- Births, 2024263
- Deaths, 2024292
- Natural change, 2024-29
- Net domestic migration, 2024106
- Net international migration, 202421
- Total net migration, 2024127
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-343
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2366th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.53 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.
Jay County
Where are people moving to Jay County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving349
- People arriving, from those returns646
- Tax returns filed by households leaving406
- Net household movement-57
- Adjusted gross income arriving$14.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$380,000
- Average income of an arriving household$40,653
- Average income of a leaving household$34,010
- Largest single originRandolph County (45 households)
- Largest single destinationDelaware County (95 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Randolph County | 45 | 71 | $2.1 m |
| Delaware County | 43 | 71 | $1.5 m |
| Adams County | 33 | 61 | $1.1 m |
| Blackford County | 32 | 66 | $1.1 m |
| Mercer County | 27 | 55 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $6,643 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 Randolph 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.
Jay County
What is the Jay County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.55 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.37 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 202413.1 percent
- GDP change over five years71.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Indiana areas BEA publishes56th of 92
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1492nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$76,429
Output grew 13.1 percent in the latest year and 71.8 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.
Jay County
Employment by industry in Jay County
- Covered employment, annual average7,027
- Establishments reporting428
- Average annual pay$48,103
- Average weekly wage$925
- Manufacturing, employment2,680
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$57,579
- Retail trade, employment664
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,594
- Accommodation and food services, employment393
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,160
- Construction, employment279
- Construction, average annual pay$52,866
- Wholesale trade, employment216
- Finance and insurance, employment140
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,680 | 30 | $57,579 |
| Retail trade | 664 | 60 | $30,594 |
| Accommodation and food services | 393 | 28 | $18,160 |
| Construction | 279 | 40 | $52,866 |
| Wholesale trade | 216 | 16 | $56,640 |
| Finance and insurance | 140 | 24 | $61,787 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 138 | 16 | $30,318 |
| Other services, except public administration | 129 | 39 | $24,159 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,680 jobs, 38.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Jay County
How many businesses are in Jay County?
- Establishments, all industries411
- Employment at those establishments6,301
- Annual payroll$294.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.3
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.
Jay County
Building permits in Jay County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202419
- Declared construction value permitted$4.2 m
- Single family units authorized19
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$218,480
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.4
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.
Jay County
SBA loans in Jay County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded8
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$1.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$206,625
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- Largest single approval$735,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)10
- Jobs per approval1.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals7
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals12.5 percent
- Most active lenderFirst Merchants Bank (3)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.7 m
- Average 504 approval$932,600
- Median 504 approval$523,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval13.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.2
- Most active CDCIndiana Statewide Certified Development Corporation (4)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$6.3 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.
Jay County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Jay County
Do SBA loans in Jay County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure6
- Status: Paid in full1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
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.
Jay County
SBA lending by place in Jay County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Portland, approvals5
- Dunkirk, approvals1
- Union City, approvals1
- Redkey, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | 5 | $1,403,000 |
| Dunkirk | 1 | $100,000 |
| Union City | 1 | $100,000 |
| Redkey | 1 | $50,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Jay County
How large is Jay County?
- Land area384 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Indiana counties55th of 92
- Width, east to west22 mi
- Height, north to south18.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land53
- Establishments per square mile1.07
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.
Jay County
Flood risk in Jay County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Jay County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 180440
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP2
- NFIP participation rate40.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Jay 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 Jay County (community 180440), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Jay 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. 40.0 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 Jay 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 Jay County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202420,229
- Households7,807
- Average household size2.59
- Median household income$54,969
- Median age39.5
Common questions
Jay County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Jay County, Indiana?
The Census Bureau estimates 20,164 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 20,229, in 7,807 households, ranking 72nd of 92 Indiana counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Jay County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.53 percent since the 2020 census base of 20,477, to 20,164 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 263 births against 292 deaths, with net migration of 127. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Jay County?
$54,969. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $117,500, which is 2.1 times income, and median gross rent is $770 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Jay County?
411 establishments, employing 6,301 people with an annual payroll of $294.5 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 Jay County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,680 jobs, 38.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,027 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,103, or $925 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Jay County?
8 7(a) approvals totaling $1.7 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 5 504 approvals worth $4.7 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Jay County?
19 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $4.2 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Jay 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 Jay County come from?
The largest single origin is Randolph County, with 45 households. Arriving households report an average income of $40,653 against $34,010 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Jay 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 Jay 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.
Jay County
Cities and places in Jay.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Jay County. All 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | city | 6,416 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Dunkirk | city | 1,861 | 1 | 96.5 percent here, 3.5 percent Blackford County |
| Redkey | town | 1,332 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Pennville | town | 619 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bryant | town | 258 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Salamonia | town | 218 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 8 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Jay County, the largest being Union City (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.