Knox County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Knox County, Kentucky had an estimated 29,657 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 30,196, across 386 square miles. County output reached $836.8 m in 2024, 449 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 13 7(a) approvals worth $6.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Knox County
How many people live in Knox County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202429,865
- Households11,711
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$32,527
- Median age39.7
- Median gross rent$681 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$118,700
- Home value to household income3.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income25.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher13.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over20,327
- Population under 187,053
- Share under 1823.6 percent
- Population 65 and over5,203
- Share 65 and over17.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6417,609
- Civilian labor force9,793
- Unemployment rate8.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over42.9 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties36th of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1480th of 3,222
Knox County is the 36th 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 23.6 percent against 17.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Knox County
Is Knox County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202429,657
- Census 2020 base population30,196
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.79 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-66
- Births, 2024348
- Deaths, 2024511
- Natural change, 2024-163
- Net domestic migration, 202460
- Net international migration, 202437
- Total net migration, 202497
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-16
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2444th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.79 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.
Knox County
Where are people moving to Knox County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving651
- People arriving, from those returns1,324
- Tax returns filed by households leaving641
- Net household movement10
- Adjusted gross income arriving$23.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-141,000
- Average income of an arriving household$36,092
- Average income of a leaving household$36,875
- Largest single originWhitley County (185 households)
- Largest single destinationLaurel County (188 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitley County | 185 | 403 | $6.6 m |
| Laurel County | 156 | 336 | $4.9 m |
| Bell County | 45 | 95 | $1.7 m |
Households arriving report $783 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Whitley 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.
Knox County
What is the Knox County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$836.8 m
- County GDP, 2023$815.9 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.6 percent
- GDP change over five years29.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kentucky areas BEA publishes55th of 120
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1999th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$28,019
Output grew 2.6 percent in the latest year and 29.0 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.
Knox County
Employment by industry in Knox County
- Covered employment, annual average7,685
- Establishments reporting622
- Average annual pay$43,409
- Average weekly wage$835
- Retail trade, employment1,207
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,480
- Manufacturing, employment1,086
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$53,445
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment387
- Professional, scientific and technical services, average annual pay$46,736
- Construction, employment155
- Construction, average annual pay$61,005
- Transportation and warehousing, employment137
- Finance and insurance, employment133
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,207 | 124 | $31,480 |
| Manufacturing | 1,086 | 29 | $53,445 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 387 | 53 | $46,736 |
| Construction | 155 | 23 | $61,005 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 137 | 26 | $46,366 |
| Finance and insurance | 133 | 33 | $47,863 |
| Other services, except public administration | 66 | 40 | $32,799 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 51 | 14 | $34,231 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,207 jobs, 15.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Knox County
How many businesses are in Knox County?
- Establishments, all industries449
- Employment at those establishments7,102
- Annual payroll$327.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents15.0
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.
Knox County
Building permits in Knox County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20240
- Declared construction value permitted$0
- Single family units authorized0
- Multifamily units authorized0
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. In a small county this is common and is not by itself a sign of distress, but it does mean there is no recent residential pipeline to read demand from.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Knox County
SBA loans in Knox County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded13
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$6.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$475,285
- Median 7(a) approval$320,000
- Largest single approval$2,300,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)165
- Jobs per approval12.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals10
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer23.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter8
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals7.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countMotor Vehicle Body Manufacturing (4)
- Most active lenderCommunity Trust Bank, Inc. (7)
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Knox County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Knox County
Do SBA loans in Knox County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure8
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Cancelled3
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.
Knox County
SBA lending by place in Knox County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Corbin, approvals9
- Barbourville, approvals3
- Gray, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Corbin | 9 | $4,490,700 |
| Barbourville | 3 | $1,188,000 |
| Gray | 1 | $500,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Knox County
How large is Knox County?
- Land area386 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties35th of 120
- Width, east to west28.3 mi
- Height, north to south25.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land77
- Establishments per square mile1.16
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.
Knox County
Flood risk in Knox County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Knox County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 210131
- 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 Knox 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 Knox County (community 210131), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Knox 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 Knox 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 Knox County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202429,865
- Households11,711
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$32,527
- Median age39.7
Common questions
Knox County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Knox County, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates 29,657 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 29,865, in 11,711 households, ranking 36th of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Knox County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.79 percent since the 2020 census base of 30,196, to 29,657 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 348 births against 511 deaths, with net migration of 97. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Knox County?
$32,527. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $118,700, which is 3.6 times income, and median gross rent is $681 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Knox County?
449 establishments, employing 7,102 people with an annual payroll of $327.5 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 Knox County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,207 jobs, 15.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,685 jobs at an average annual pay of $43,409, or $835 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Knox County?
13 7(a) approvals totaling $6.2 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $320,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Knox County?
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Knox 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 Knox County come from?
The largest single origin is Whitley County, with 185 households. Arriving households report an average income of $36,092 against $36,875 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Knox 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 Knox 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.
Knox County
Cities and places in Knox.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Knox County. All 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corbin | city | 8,246 | 9 | 29.7 percent here, 70.3 percent Whitley County |
| Barbourville | city | 3,146 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| North Corbin | CDP | 2,190 | None recorded | 13.2 percent here, 86.8 percent Laurel County |
| Flat Lick | CDP | 634 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Artemus | CDP | 426 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 13 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Knox County, the largest being Gray (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.
Nearby