Hardin County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Hardin County, Kentucky had an estimated 112,826 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 110,703, across 623 square miles. County output reached $7.34 bn in 2024, 2,253 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 50 7(a) approvals worth $41.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Hardin County
How many people live in Hardin County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024111,942
- Households44,622
- Average household size2.51
- Median household income$67,647
- Median age37.3
- Median gross rent$971 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$225,800
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over74,893
- Population under 1827,635
- Share under 1824.7 percent
- Population 65 and over16,922
- Share 65 and over15.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6467,385
- Civilian labor force51,559
- Unemployment rate6.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.2 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties6th of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included563rd of 3,222
Hardin County is the 6th largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 24.7 percent against 15.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Hardin County
Is Hardin County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024112,826
- Census 2020 base population110,703
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.92 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024430
- Births, 20241,301
- Deaths, 20241,230
- Natural change, 202471
- Net domestic migration, 2024-118
- Net international migration, 2024472
- Total net migration, 2024354
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024706
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1187th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.92 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.
Hardin County
Where are people moving to Hardin County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,646
- People arriving, from those returns7,485
- Tax returns filed by households leaving3,637
- Net household movement9
- Adjusted gross income arriving$196.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-2.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$53,872
- Average income of a leaving household$54,781
- Largest single originJefferson County (463 households)
- Largest single destinationJefferson County (506 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 463 | 824 | $22.3 m |
| Meade County | 310 | 627 | $13.8 m |
| Larue County | 157 | 318 | $6.4 m |
| Bullitt County | 124 | 232 | $5.4 m |
| Grayson County | 94 | 178 | $4.5 m |
| Foreign - APO/FPO ZIPs | 91 | 267 | $6.8 m |
| Nelson County | 89 | 147 | $3.4 m |
| Breckinridge County | 61 | 106 | $2.5 m |
Households arriving report $909 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Jefferson 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.
Hardin County
What is the Hardin County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$7.34 bn
- County GDP, 2023$7.15 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.6 percent
- GDP change over five years33.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kentucky areas BEA publishes7th of 120
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes564th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$65,580
Output grew 2.6 percent in the latest year and 33.2 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.
Hardin County
Employment by industry in Hardin County
- Covered employment, annual average48,897
- Establishments reporting3,704
- Average annual pay$55,787
- Average weekly wage$1,073
- Manufacturing, employment8,654
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$71,142
- Retail trade, employment6,077
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,604
- Health care and social assistance, employment5,498
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$61,603
- Accommodation and food services, employment5,210
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$23,363
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment2,386
- Construction, employment1,971
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,654 | 136 | $71,142 |
| Retail trade | 6,077 | 438 | $34,604 |
| Health care and social assistance | 5,498 | 730 | $61,603 |
| Accommodation and food services | 5,210 | 271 | $23,363 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 2,386 | 228 | $43,787 |
| Construction | 1,971 | 277 | $92,267 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,785 | 444 | $76,930 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,153 | 92 | $51,011 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 8,654 jobs, 17.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Hardin County
How many businesses are in Hardin County?
- Establishments, all industries2,253
- Employment at those establishments36,716
- Annual payroll$1.71 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.1
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.
Hardin County
Building permits in Hardin County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024945
- Declared construction value permitted$162.9 m
- Single family units authorized391
- Multifamily units authorized554
- Multifamily share of units58.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$172,345
- Units authorized per 1,000 households21.2
Multifamily is 58.6 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Hardin County
SBA loans in Hardin County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded50
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$41.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$833,732
- Median 7(a) approval$314,000
- 10th percentile approval$62,060
- 90th percentile approval$2,437,100
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)727
- Jobs per approval14.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active25
- Distinct industries receiving approvals36
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms8
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter39
- Franchise loans16
- Franchise share of approvals32.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (4)
- Most active lenderCommunity Trust Bank, Inc. (8)
- 504 approvals recorded12
- 504 gross approval dollars$7.3 m
- Average 504 approval$611,333
- Median 504 approval$582,500
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval14.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved24.3
- Most active CDCCapital Access Corporation - Kentucky (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$49.0 m
The average approval of $833,732 sits well above the median of $314,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 16.0 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.
Hardin County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Hardin County
Do SBA loans in Hardin County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded7
- Paid in full6
- Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure35
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Cancelled4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
Only 7 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.
Hardin County
SBA lending by place in Hardin County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending7
- Elizabethtown, approvals28
- Radcliff, approvals8
- Rineyville, approvals7
- Vine Grove, approvals3
- Glendale, approvals2
- Fort Knox, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown | 28 | $32,034,000 |
| Radcliff | 8 | $5,945,300 |
| Rineyville | 7 | $2,667,300 |
| Vine Grove | 3 | $510,000 |
| Glendale | 2 | $330,000 |
| Fort Knox | 1 | $150,000 |
| Cecilia | 1 | $50,000 |
Elizabethtown accounts for 28 approvals against 8 in Radcliff. 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.
Hardin County
How large is Hardin County?
- Land area623 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties4th of 120
- Width, east to west32.5 mi
- Height, north to south39.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary9
- Residents per square mile of land180
- Establishments per square mile3.62
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.
Hardin County
Flood risk in Hardin County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Hardin County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 210094
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate83.3 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 9
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
- Radon levels in Hardin 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 Hardin County (community 210094), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Hardin 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 9, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 83.3 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 Hardin 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 Hardin County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024111,942
- Households44,622
- Average household size2.51
- Median household income$67,647
- Median age37.3
Common questions
Hardin County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Hardin County, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates 112,826 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 111,942, in 44,622 households, ranking 6th of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Hardin County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.92 percent since the 2020 census base of 110,703, to 112,826 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,301 births against 1,230 deaths, with net migration of 354. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Hardin County?
$67,647. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $225,800, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $971 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Hardin County?
2,253 establishments, employing 36,716 people with an annual payroll of $1.71 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Hardin County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 8,654 jobs, 17.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 48,897 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,787, or $1,073 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Hardin County?
50 7(a) approvals totaling $41.7 m since FY2020, across 25 lenders, with a median approval of $314,000, plus 12 504 approvals worth $7.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Hardin County?
945 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $162.9 m. Multifamily was 58.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Hardin 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 Hardin County come from?
The largest single origin is Jefferson County, with 463 households. Arriving households report an average income of $53,872 against $54,781 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Hardin 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 Hardin 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.
Hardin County
Cities and places in Hardin.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Hardin County. All 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown | city | 32,576 | 28 | Wholly in this county |
| Radcliff | city | 22,864 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Fort Knox | CDP | 8,836 | 1 | 67.0 percent here, 33.0 percent Meade County |
| Vine Grove | city | 6,830 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Rineyville | CDP | 2,470 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Muldraugh | city | 1,127 | None recorded | 3.1 percent here, 96.9 percent Meade County |
| West Point | city | 1,025 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sonora | city | 653 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Upton | city | 606 | None recorded | 73.3 percent here, 26.7 percent Larue County |
| Cecilia | CDP | 503 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 50 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Hardin County, the largest being Glendale (2). 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.