Jefferson County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Jefferson County, Kentucky had an estimated 793,881 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 782,987, across 380 square miles. County output reached $78.80 bn in 2024, 20,164 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 817 7(a) approvals worth $416.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Jefferson County
How many people live in Jefferson County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024783,022
- Households331,554
- Average household size2.36
- Median household income$69,866
- Median age38.4
- Median gross rent$1,149 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$248,400
- Home value to household income3.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher37.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree15.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over543,045
- Population under 18174,276
- Share under 1822.3 percent
- Population 65 and over134,317
- Share 65 and over17.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64474,429
- Civilian labor force409,977
- Unemployment rate5.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.3 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties1st of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included84th of 3,222
Jefferson County is the 1st largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 3.6 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.3 percent against 17.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Jefferson County
Is Jefferson County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024793,881
- Census 2020 base population782,987
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.39 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202410,500
- Births, 20249,653
- Deaths, 20248,328
- Natural change, 20241,325
- Net domestic migration, 2024-4,606
- Net international migration, 202413,807
- Total net migration, 20249,201
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-21,092
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1371st of 3,144
The county has grown 1.39 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.
Jefferson County
Where are people moving to Jefferson County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving15,709
- People arriving, from those returns25,437
- Tax returns filed by households leaving17,184
- Net household movement-1,475
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.10 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-317.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$69,779
- Average income of a leaving household$82,250
- Largest single originBullitt County (1,132 households)
- Largest single destinationBullitt County (1,619 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullitt County | 1,132 | 1,811 | $53.9 m |
| Oldham County | 768 | 1,300 | $72.3 m |
| Clark County | 670 | 1,010 | $29.8 m |
| Fayette County | 560 | 786 | $62.8 m |
| Hardin County | 506 | 795 | $20.0 m |
| Floyd County | 442 | 747 | $54.8 m |
| Shelby County | 429 | 725 | $27.5 m |
| Miami-Dade County | 274 | 408 | $8.2 m |
Households arriving report $12,471 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Bullitt 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.
Jefferson County
What is the Jefferson County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$78.80 bn
- County GDP, 2023$76.18 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.4 percent
- GDP change over five years31.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kentucky areas BEA publishes1st of 120
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes67th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$100,640
Output grew 3.4 percent in the latest year and 31.7 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.
Jefferson County
Employment by industry in Jefferson County
- Covered employment, annual average482,313
- Establishments reporting33,844
- Average annual pay$71,280
- Average weekly wage$1,371
- Health care and social assistance, employment75,328
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$72,064
- Manufacturing, employment53,624
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$86,327
- Accommodation and food services, employment42,357
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$28,738
- Retail trade, employment42,311
- Retail trade, average annual pay$42,326
- Transportation and warehousing, employment41,677
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment32,083
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 75,328 | 4,636 | $72,064 |
| Manufacturing | 53,624 | 1,445 | $86,327 |
| Accommodation and food services | 42,357 | 2,184 | $28,738 |
| Retail trade | 42,311 | 3,117 | $42,326 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 41,677 | 913 | $79,166 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 32,083 | 2,246 | $49,596 |
| Finance and insurance | 27,718 | 2,105 | $108,582 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 26,871 | 6,062 | $92,306 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 75,328 jobs, 15.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Jefferson County
How many businesses are in Jefferson County?
- Establishments, all industries20,164
- Employment at those establishments470,153
- Annual payroll$30.32 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.8
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.
Jefferson County
Building permits in Jefferson County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20242,863
- Declared construction value permitted$533.4 m
- Single family units authorized1,173
- Multifamily units authorized1,690
- Multifamily share of units59.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$186,306
- Units authorized per 1,000 households8.6
Multifamily is 59.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Jefferson County
SBA loans in Jefferson County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded817
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$416.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$509,518
- Median 7(a) approval$190,000
- 10th percentile approval$30,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,327,840
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)9,287
- Jobs per approval11.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active81
- Distinct industries receiving approvals230
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer11.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms92
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter690
- Franchise loans153
- Franchise share of approvals18.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (41)
- Most active lenderRepublic Bank & Trust Company (132)
- 504 approvals recorded149
- 504 gross approval dollars$102.1 m
- Average 504 approval$685,336
- Median 504 approval$488,000
- Distinct CDCs active9
- 504 jobs per approval12.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved17.6
- Most active CDCCapital Access Corporation - Kentucky (89)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$518.4 m
The average approval of $509,518 sits well above the median of $190,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 11.3 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.
Jefferson County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Jefferson County
Do SBA loans in Jefferson County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded179
- Paid in full171
- Charged off8
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans4.5 percent
- Status: Paid in full171
- Status: Cancelled87
- Status: Exempt from disclosure502
- Status: Charged off8
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed49
Of the 179 loans that have reached a final outcome, 4.5 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
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.
Jefferson County
SBA lending by place in Jefferson County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending12
- Louisville, approvals782
- Prospect, approvals18
- Lousiville, approvals4
- Fairdale, approvals3
- Jefferson, approvals2
- Lousville, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville | 782 | $404,021,900 |
| Prospect | 18 | $9,003,600 |
| Lousiville | 4 | $806,800 |
| Fairdale | 3 | $320,000 |
| Jefferson | 2 | $647,600 |
| Lousville | 2 | $200,100 |
| Glenview | 1 | $350,000 |
| St. Matthews | 1 | $350,000 |
| 4 other borrower cities | 4 | $576,600 |
Louisville accounts for 782 approvals against 18 in Prospect. 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.
Jefferson County
How large is Jefferson County?
- Land area380 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties38th of 120
- Width, east to west29.5 mi
- Height, north to south26.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land2,061
- Establishments per square mile53.06
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.
Jefferson County
Flood risk in Jefferson County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book1
- Of those, participating in the NFIP1
- 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 3
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Jefferson County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The EPA places Jefferson 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. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 3, 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024783,022
- Households331,554
- Average household size2.36
- Median household income$69,866
- Median age38.4
Common questions
Jefferson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Jefferson County, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates 793,881 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 783,022, in 331,554 households, ranking 1st of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Jefferson County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.39 percent since the 2020 census base of 782,987, to 793,881 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 9,653 births against 8,328 deaths, with net migration of 9,201. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Jefferson County?
$69,866. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $248,400, which is 3.6 times income, and median gross rent is $1,149 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Jefferson County?
20,164 establishments, employing 470,153 people with an annual payroll of $30.32 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 Jefferson County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 75,328 jobs, 15.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 482,313 jobs at an average annual pay of $71,280, or $1,371 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Jefferson County?
817 7(a) approvals totaling $416.3 m since FY2020, across 81 lenders, with a median approval of $190,000, plus 149 504 approvals worth $102.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Jefferson County get paid back?
Of the 179 loans that have reached a final outcome, 171 were paid in full and 8 charged off, a charge-off rate of 4.5 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Jefferson County?
2,863 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $533.4 m. Multifamily was 59.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Jefferson 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 Jefferson County come from?
The largest single origin is Bullitt County, with 1,132 households. Arriving households report an average income of $69,779 against $82,250 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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.
Jefferson County
Cities and places in Jefferson.
85 Census places lie wholly or partly in Jefferson County. 84 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked. The rest are named here and not linked, because the American Community Survey and the SBA record between them do not carry enough about them to write an honest page. A place existing is itself worth knowing, so nothing in the county is left out.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | place | 631,818 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jeffersontown | city | 29,199 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| St. Matthews | city | 17,577 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Shively | city | 15,638 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lyndon | city | 11,030 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Middletown | city | 9,763 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Douglass Hills | city | 5,474 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hurstbourne | city | 4,702 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Prospect | city | 4,542 | 18 | Wholly in this county |
| Indian Hills | city | 2,897 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Graymoor-Devondale | city | 2,802 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Anchorage | city | 2,506 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Windy Hills | city | 2,081 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hurstbourne Acres | city | 1,972 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Worthington Hills | city | 1,957 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| St. Regis Park | city | 1,783 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Audubon Park | city | 1,707 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| West Buechel | city | 1,599 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Coldstream | city | 1,331 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Beechwood Village | city | 1,292 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Heritage Creek | city | 1,283 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Northfield | city | 1,250 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Barbourmeade | city | 1,247 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Plantation | city | 1,013 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rolling Hills | city | 982 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Langdon Place | city | 917 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Meadow Vale | city | 878 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Woodlawn Park | city | 857 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bellemeade | city | 851 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Houston Acres | city | 745 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Blue Ridge Manor | city | 743 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Watterson Park | city | 734 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fincastle | city | 717 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Spring Valley | city | 707 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rolling Fields | city | 645 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lynnview | city | 641 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Brownsboro Farm | city | 604 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hollow Creek | city | 602 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Poplar Hills | city | 602 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Murray Hill | city | 594 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Green Spring | city | 589 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Parkway Village | city | 588 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Seneca Gardens | city | 586 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Woodland Hills | city | 575 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Strathmoor Village | city | 574 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glenview | city | 557 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Riverwood | city | 527 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wellington | city | 492 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bancroft | city | 479 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Moorland | city | 479 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Norbourne Estates | city | 476 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kingsley | city | 442 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hollyvilla | city | 434 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Westwood | city | 432 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Norwood | city | 424 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Strathmoor Manor | city | 422 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Meadowview Estates | city | 390 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Spring Mill | city | 389 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Briarwood | city | 388 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Forest Hills | city | 387 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Richlawn | city | 351 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Creekside | city | 346 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glenview Hills | city | 342 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Old Brownsboro Place | city | 332 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Brownsboro Village | city | 325 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Druid Hills | city | 320 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bellewood | city | 308 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Maryhill Estates | city | 268 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Goose Creek | city | 263 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Manor Creek | city | 221 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wildwood | city | 220 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Broeck Pointe | city | 205 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Thornhill | city | 192 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Crossgate | city | 189 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glenview Manor | city | 170 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cambridge | city | 167 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hickory Hill | city | 157 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mockingbird Valley | city | 138 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hills and Dales | city | 134 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lincolnshire | city | 124 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sycamore | city | 118 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ten Broeck | city | 111 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Meadowbrook Farm | city | 109 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| South Park View | city | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Louisville | city | Not published | 782 | Wholly in this county |
A further 13 of the county's 817 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Jefferson County, the largest being Lousiville (4), Fairdale (3), Jefferson (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.