Carter County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Carter County, Kentucky had an estimated 26,098 residents on July 1, 2024, down 2.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 26,630, across 409 square miles. County output reached $670.6 m in 2024, 389 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 4 7(a) approvals worth $498,200 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Carter County
How many people live in Carter County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202426,341
- Households10,794
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$51,235
- Median age41.4
- Median gross rent$740 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$132,800
- Home value to household income2.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher15.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over18,200
- Population under 185,941
- Share under 1822.6 percent
- Population 65 and over5,250
- Share 65 and over19.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6415,150
- Civilian labor force10,267
- Unemployment rate5.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over50.3 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties43rd of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1603rd of 3,222
Carter County is the 43rd largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 2.6 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.6 percent against 19.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Carter County
Is Carter County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202426,098
- Census 2020 base population26,630
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.00 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-157
- Births, 2024248
- Deaths, 2024459
- Natural change, 2024-211
- Net domestic migration, 202455
- Net international migration, 2024-1
- Total net migration, 202454
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024261
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2497th of 3,144
The county has lost 2.00 percent of its population 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.
Carter County
Where are people moving to Carter County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving469
- People arriving, from those returns924
- Tax returns filed by households leaving444
- Net household movement25
- Adjusted gross income arriving$18.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$1.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$40,377
- Average income of a leaving household$40,041
- Largest single originBoyd County (68 households)
- Largest single destinationBoyd County (92 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boyd County | 68 | 133 | $3.3 m |
| Rowan County | 61 | 105 | $1.8 m |
| Greenup County | 44 | 88 | $2.0 m |
| Elliott County | 36 | 79 | $1.4 m |
Households arriving report $336 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 Boyd 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.
Carter County
What is the Carter County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$670.6 m
- County GDP, 2023$651.3 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.0 percent
- GDP change over five years25.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kentucky areas BEA publishes61st of 120
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2186th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$25,460
Output grew 3.0 percent in the latest year and 25.6 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.
Carter County
Employment by industry in Carter County
- Covered employment, annual average5,650
- Establishments reporting645
- Average annual pay$41,562
- Average weekly wage$799
- Retail trade, employment896
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,235
- Manufacturing, employment658
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$50,585
- Accommodation and food services, employment611
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,238
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment409
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$52,574
- Construction, employment310
- Other services, except public administration, employment279
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 896 | 120 | $31,235 |
| Manufacturing | 658 | 16 | $50,585 |
| Accommodation and food services | 611 | 44 | $18,238 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 409 | 32 | $52,574 |
| Construction | 310 | 70 | $55,141 |
| Other services, except public administration | 279 | 46 | $36,650 |
| Finance and insurance | 155 | 28 | $54,342 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 136 | 54 | $47,034 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 896 jobs, 15.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Carter County
How many businesses are in Carter County?
- Establishments, all industries389
- Employment at those establishments5,029
- Annual payroll$178.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents14.8
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.
Carter County
Building permits in Carter County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241
- Declared construction value permitted$285,508
- Single family units authorized1
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$285,508
- 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.
Carter County
SBA loans in Carter County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded4
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$498,200
- Average 7(a) approval$124,550
- Median 7(a) approval$90,000
- Largest single approval$288,200
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)49
- Jobs per approval12.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals4
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer0.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms0
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter3
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals25.0 percent
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Carter County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Carter County
Do SBA loans in Carter County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Exempt from disclosure2
Only 2 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.
Carter County
SBA lending by place in Carter County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Olive Hill, approvals3
- Grayson, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Hill | 3 | $348,200 |
| Grayson | 1 | $150,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Carter County
How large is Carter County?
- Land area409 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties31st of 120
- Width, east to west30.9 mi
- Height, north to south22.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land64
- Establishments per square mile0.95
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.
Carter County
Flood risk in Carter County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Carter County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 210050
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 10
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Carter 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 Carter County (community 210050), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Carter 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 10, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 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 Carter 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 Carter County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202426,341
- Households10,794
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$51,235
- Median age41.4
Common questions
Carter County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Carter County, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates 26,098 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 26,341, in 10,794 households, ranking 43rd of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Carter County's population growing?
The population has fallen 2.00 percent since the 2020 census base of 26,630, to 26,098 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 248 births against 459 deaths, with net migration of 54. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Carter County?
$51,235. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $132,800, which is 2.6 times income, and median gross rent is $740 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Carter County?
389 establishments, employing 5,029 people with an annual payroll of $178.0 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 Carter County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 896 jobs, 15.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,650 jobs at an average annual pay of $41,562, or $799 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Carter County?
4 7(a) approvals totaling $498,200 since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $90,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Carter County?
1 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $285,508. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Carter 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 Carter County come from?
The largest single origin is Boyd County, with 68 households. Arriving households report an average income of $40,377 against $40,041 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Carter 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 Carter 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.
Carter County
Cities and places in Carter.
2 Census places lie wholly or partly in Carter County. All 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grayson | city | 3,778 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Olive Hill | city | 1,636 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
Nearby