Whitley County, Indiana: commercial real estate data.
Whitley County, Indiana had an estimated 34,885 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 34,188, across 336 square miles. County output reached $2.23 bn in 2024, 699 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 38 7(a) approvals worth $14.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Whitley County
How many people live in Whitley County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202434,618
- Households14,029
- Average household size2.47
- Median household income$78,083
- Median age41.3
- Median gross rent$934 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$219,400
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher23.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over24,203
- Population under 187,896
- Share under 1822.8 percent
- Population 65 and over6,642
- Share 65 and over19.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6420,080
- Civilian labor force18,110
- Unemployment rate3.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.8 percent
- Rank by population among Indiana counties47th of 92
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1349th of 3,222
Whitley County is the 47th largest of 92 Indiana 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 22.8 percent against 19.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Whitley County
Is Whitley County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202434,885
- Census 2020 base population34,188
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.04 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202499
- Births, 2024392
- Deaths, 2024342
- Natural change, 202450
- Net domestic migration, 202443
- Net international migration, 20249
- Total net migration, 202452
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024465
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1159th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.04 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.
Whitley County
Where are people moving to Whitley County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving921
- People arriving, from those returns1,669
- Tax returns filed by households leaving875
- Net household movement46
- Adjusted gross income arriving$53.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$7.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$57,704
- Average income of a leaving household$52,160
- Largest single originAllen County (361 households)
- Largest single destinationAllen County (293 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allen County | 361 | 637 | $22.6 m |
| Kosciusko County | 114 | 215 | $7.1 m |
| Noble County | 90 | 174 | $4.1 m |
| Huntington County | 38 | 68 | $2.1 m |
| DeKalb County | 31 | 51 | $1.7 m |
| Wabash County | 24 | 45 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $5,544 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 Allen 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.
Whitley County
What is the Whitley County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.23 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.27 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-1.9 percent
- GDP change over five years44.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Indiana areas BEA publishes42nd of 92
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1189th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$64,304
Output grew -1.9 percent in the latest year and 44.8 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.
Whitley County
Employment by industry in Whitley County
- Covered employment, annual average13,958
- Establishments reporting764
- Average annual pay$58,376
- Average weekly wage$1,123
- Manufacturing, employment5,977
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$73,516
- Retail trade, employment1,262
- Retail trade, average annual pay$40,155
- Accommodation and food services, employment870
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$17,684
- Construction, employment650
- Construction, average annual pay$73,601
- Other services, except public administration, employment595
- Wholesale trade, employment484
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5,977 | 77 | $73,516 |
| Retail trade | 1,262 | 89 | $40,155 |
| Accommodation and food services | 870 | 58 | $17,684 |
| Construction | 650 | 90 | $73,601 |
| Other services, except public administration | 595 | 68 | $30,907 |
| Wholesale trade | 484 | 49 | $78,793 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 393 | 43 | $51,040 |
| Finance and insurance | 199 | 50 | $68,462 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,977 jobs, 42.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Whitley County
How many businesses are in Whitley County?
- Establishments, all industries699
- Employment at those establishments12,810
- Annual payroll$725.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.2
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.
Whitley County
Building permits in Whitley County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024100
- Declared construction value permitted$29.6 m
- Single family units authorized72
- Multifamily units authorized28
- Multifamily share of units28.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$296,081
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.1
Single-family homes are 72.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Whitley County
SBA loans in Whitley County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded38
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$14.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$377,055
- Median 7(a) approval$126,250
- 10th percentile approval$23,470
- 90th percentile approval$719,250
- Largest single approval$4,250,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)434
- Jobs per approval11.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active14
- Distinct industries receiving approvals25
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer15.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter30
- Franchise loans4
- Franchise share of approvals10.5 percent
- Most active lender1st Source Bank (12)
- 504 approvals recorded15
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.8 m
- Average 504 approval$321,867
- Median 504 approval$188,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval6.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved21.3
- Most active CDCCommunity Development Corporation of Fort Wayne (10)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$19.2 m
The average approval of $377,055 sits well above the median of $126,250, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 15.8 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
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.
Whitley County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Whitley County
Do SBA loans in Whitley County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded11
- Paid in full11
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure23
- Status: Paid in full11
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 11 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.
Whitley County
SBA lending by place in Whitley County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Columbia City, approvals26
- Huntington, approvals4
- Larwill, approvals3
- Churubusco, approvals3
- Churbusco, approvals1
- South Whitely, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia City | 26 | $11,708,600 |
| Huntington | 4 | $925,200 |
| Larwill | 3 | $443,300 |
| Churubusco | 3 | $428,000 |
| Churbusco | 1 | $665,000 |
| South Whitely | 1 | $158,000 |
Columbia City accounts for 26 approvals against 4 in Huntington. 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.
Whitley County
How large is Whitley County?
- Land area336 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Indiana counties72nd of 92
- Width, east to west19.7 mi
- Height, north to south20.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land103
- Establishments per square mile2.08
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.
Whitley County
Flood risk in Whitley County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Whitley County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 180298
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Whitley 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 Whitley County (community 180298), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Whitley 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. 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 Whitley 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 Whitley County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202434,618
- Households14,029
- Average household size2.47
- Median household income$78,083
- Median age41.3
Common questions
Whitley County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Whitley County, Indiana?
The Census Bureau estimates 34,885 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 34,618, in 14,029 households, ranking 47th of 92 Indiana counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Whitley County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.04 percent since the 2020 census base of 34,188, to 34,885 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 392 births against 342 deaths, with net migration of 52. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Whitley County?
$78,083. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $219,400, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $934 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Whitley County?
699 establishments, employing 12,810 people with an annual payroll of $725.4 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 Whitley County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,977 jobs, 42.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 13,958 jobs at an average annual pay of $58,376, or $1,123 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Whitley County?
38 7(a) approvals totaling $14.3 m since FY2020, across 14 lenders, with a median approval of $126,250, plus 15 504 approvals worth $4.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Whitley County?
100 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $29.6 m. Multifamily was 28.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Whitley 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 Whitley County come from?
The largest single origin is Allen County, with 361 households. Arriving households report an average income of $57,704 against $52,160 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Whitley 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 Whitley 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.
Whitley County
Cities and places in Whitley.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Whitley County. All 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia City | city | 9,897 | 26 | Wholly in this county |
| Churubusco | town | 1,757 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| South Whitley | town | 1,660 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Tri-Lakes | CDP | 1,025 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Larwill | town | 425 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Coesse | CDP | 154 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Laud | CDP | 101 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 6 of the county's 38 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Whitley County, the largest being Huntington (4), Churbusco (1), South Whitely (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.
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