Bath County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Bath County, Kentucky had an estimated 12,951 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 12,747, across 279 square miles. County output reached $260.7 m in 2024, 149 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 4 7(a) approvals worth $2.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Bath County
How many people live in Bath County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202412,851
- Households4,698
- Average household size2.74
- Median household income$56,541
- Median age38.7
- Median gross rent$659 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$129,800
- Home value to household income2.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher12.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over8,568
- Population under 183,271
- Share under 1825.5 percent
- Population 65 and over2,221
- Share 65 and over17.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 647,359
- Civilian labor force5,343
- Unemployment rate2.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over55.8 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties85th of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2291st of 3,222
Bath County is the 85th largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 2.3 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.5 percent against 17.3 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Bath County
Is Bath County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202412,951
- Census 2020 base population12,747
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.60 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-21
- Births, 2024172
- Deaths, 2024177
- Natural change, 2024-5
- Net domestic migration, 2024-16
- Net international migration, 2024-1
- Total net migration, 2024-17
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024345
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1299th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.60 percent since the 2020 census base. The population fell in 2024 from both sources: deaths exceeded births and more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Bath County
Where are people moving to Bath County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving298
- People arriving, from those returns615
- Tax returns filed by households leaving284
- Net household movement14
- Adjusted gross income arriving$10.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$743,000
- Average income of an arriving household$36,091
- Average income of a leaving household$35,254
- Largest single originMontgomery County (80 households)
- Largest single destinationMontgomery County (92 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | 80 | 156 | $2.7 m |
| Rowan County | 52 | 99 | $1.6 m |
| Fayette County | 23 | 44 | $774,000 |
Households arriving report $837 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 Montgomery 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.
Bath County
What is the Bath County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$260.7 m
- County GDP, 2023$254.7 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.3 percent
- GDP change over five years24.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kentucky areas BEA publishes103rd of 120
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2783rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$20,288
Output grew 2.3 percent in the latest year and 24.3 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.
Bath County
Employment by industry in Bath County
- Covered employment, annual average1,969
- Establishments reporting292
- Average annual pay$47,539
- Average weekly wage$914
- Construction, employment262
- Construction, average annual pay$57,579
- Retail trade, employment170
- Retail trade, average annual pay$25,747
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment126
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$105,663
- Finance and insurance, employment75
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$45,687
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment52
- Other services, except public administration, employment40
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 262 | 34 | $57,579 |
| Retail trade | 170 | 36 | $25,747 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 126 | 13 | $105,663 |
| Finance and insurance | 75 | 17 | $45,687 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 52 | 24 | $86,322 |
| Other services, except public administration | 40 | 16 | $24,839 |
| Information | 17 | 6 | $80,697 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 4 | $14,016 |
Construction is the largest private sector at 262 jobs, 13.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Bath County
How many businesses are in Bath County?
- Establishments, all industries149
- Employment at those establishments1,501
- Annual payroll$69.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents11.6
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.
Bath County
Building permits in Bath County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20242
- Declared construction value permitted$200,000
- Single family units authorized2
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$100,000
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.4
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.
Bath County
SBA loans in Bath County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded4
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$2.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$691,800
- Median 7(a) approval$567,500
- Largest single approval$1,482,200
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)18
- Jobs per approval4.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active2
- Distinct industries receiving approvals4
- Median 7(a) term169 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter2
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderCommunity Trust Bank, Inc. (3)
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Bath County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Bath County
Do SBA loans in Bath County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure4
Only 0 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.
Bath County
SBA lending by place in Bath County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Sharpsburg, approvals2
- Owingsville, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpsburg | 2 | $1,632,200 |
| Owingsville | 2 | $1,135,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Bath County
How large is Bath County?
- Land area279 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties74th of 120
- Width, east to west26.1 mi
- Height, north to south21 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land46
- Establishments per square mile0.53
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.
Bath County
Flood risk in Bath County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Bath County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 210008
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 8
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP2
- NFIP participation rate66.7 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
- Radon levels in Bath 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 Bath County (community 210008), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 8, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Bath 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. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 8, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 66.7 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 Bath 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 Bath County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202412,851
- Households4,698
- Average household size2.74
- Median household income$56,541
- Median age38.7
Common questions
Bath County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Bath County, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates 12,951 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 12,851, in 4,698 households, ranking 85th of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Bath County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.60 percent since the 2020 census base of 12,747, to 12,951 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 172 births against 177 deaths, with net migration of -17. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Bath County?
$56,541. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $129,800, which is 2.3 times income, and median gross rent is $659 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Bath County?
149 establishments, employing 1,501 people with an annual payroll of $69.2 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 Bath County?
Construction is the largest private sector at 262 jobs, 13.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 1,969 jobs at an average annual pay of $47,539, or $914 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Bath County?
4 7(a) approvals totaling $2.8 m since FY2020, across 2 lenders, with a median approval of $567,500. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Bath County?
2 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $200,000. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Bath 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 Bath County come from?
The largest single origin is Montgomery County, with 80 households. Arriving households report an average income of $36,091 against $35,254 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Bath 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 Bath 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.
Bath County
Cities and places in Bath.
3 Census places lie wholly or partly in Bath County. All 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owingsville | city | 1,621 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Sharpsburg | city | 519 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Salt Lick | city | 274 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby