Mason County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Mason County, Kentucky had an estimated 16,956 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 17,125, across 240 square miles. County output reached $1.54 bn in 2024, 404 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 15 7(a) approvals worth $6.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Mason County
How many people live in Mason County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,956
- Households7,131
- Average household size2.38
- Median household income$52,178
- Median age42.5
- Median gross rent$727 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$161,500
- Home value to household income3.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher19.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over11,963
- Population under 183,790
- Share under 1822.4 percent
- Population 65 and over3,346
- Share 65 and over19.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,820
- Civilian labor force7,522
- Unemployment rate4.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over57.1 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties67th of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2039th of 3,222
Mason County is the 67th largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 3.1 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.4 percent against 19.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Mason County
Is Mason County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202416,956
- Census 2020 base population17,125
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.99 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202499
- Births, 2024177
- Deaths, 2024206
- Natural change, 2024-29
- Net domestic migration, 202486
- Net international migration, 202440
- Total net migration, 2024126
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-17
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2185th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.99 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Mason County
Where are people moving to Mason County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving411
- People arriving, from those returns824
- Tax returns filed by households leaving396
- Net household movement15
- Adjusted gross income arriving$21.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$3.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$52,509
- Average income of a leaving household$45,702
- Largest single originFleming County (49 households)
- Largest single destinationFleming County (57 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fleming County | 49 | 98 | $2.6 m |
| Bracken County | 45 | 97 | $1.9 m |
| Lewis County | 35 | 64 | $1.2 m |
| Brown County | 30 | 74 | $1.4 m |
Households arriving report $6,807 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 Fleming 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.
Mason County
What is the Mason County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.54 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.54 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.3 percent
- GDP change over five years31.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kentucky areas BEA publishes35th of 120
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1495th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$91,018
Output grew 0.3 percent in the latest year and 31.5 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.
Mason County
Employment by industry in Mason County
- Covered employment, annual average7,910
- Establishments reporting717
- Average annual pay$50,145
- Average weekly wage$964
- Retail trade, employment1,308
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,092
- Manufacturing, employment1,152
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$65,954
- Accommodation and food services, employment853
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,003
- Construction, employment448
- Construction, average annual pay$74,564
- Transportation and warehousing, employment280
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment277
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,308 | 95 | $33,092 |
| Manufacturing | 1,152 | 30 | $65,954 |
| Accommodation and food services | 853 | 58 | $19,003 |
| Construction | 448 | 42 | $74,564 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 280 | 16 | $74,018 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 277 | 24 | $33,584 |
| Finance and insurance | 170 | 40 | $54,822 |
| Other services, except public administration | 167 | 53 | $29,549 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,308 jobs, 16.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Mason County
How many businesses are in Mason County?
- Establishments, all industries404
- Employment at those establishments6,951
- Annual payroll$336.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.8
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.
Mason County
Building permits in Mason County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202430
- Declared construction value permitted$8.8 m
- Single family units authorized28
- Multifamily units authorized2
- Multifamily share of units6.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$292,974
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.2
Single-family homes are 93.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Mason County
SBA loans in Mason County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded15
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$6.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$448,053
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- Largest single approval$1,709,300
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)145
- Jobs per approval9.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals12
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer20.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter11
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals13.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countResidential Remodelers (3)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (7)
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Mason County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Mason County
Do SBA loans in Mason County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure9
- Status: Cancelled3
Only 3 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.
Mason County
SBA lending by place in Mason County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Maysville, approvals14
- Mays Lick, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Maysville | 14 | $6,678,000 |
| Mays Lick | 1 | $42,800 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Mason County
How large is Mason County?
- Land area240 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties89th of 120
- Width, east to west18.9 mi
- Height, north to south21.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land71
- Establishments per square mile1.68
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.
Mason County
Flood risk in Mason County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Mason County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 210259
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Mason 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 Mason County (community 210259), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Mason 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. 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 Mason 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 Mason County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,956
- Households7,131
- Average household size2.38
- Median household income$52,178
- Median age42.5
Common questions
Mason County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Mason County, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates 16,956 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 16,956, in 7,131 households, ranking 67th of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Mason County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.99 percent since the 2020 census base of 17,125, to 16,956 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 177 births against 206 deaths, with net migration of 126. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Mason County?
$52,178. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $161,500, which is 3.1 times income, and median gross rent is $727 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Mason County?
404 establishments, employing 6,951 people with an annual payroll of $336.4 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 Mason County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,308 jobs, 16.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,910 jobs at an average annual pay of $50,145, or $964 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Mason County?
15 7(a) approvals totaling $6.7 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Mason County?
30 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $8.8 m. Multifamily was 6.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Mason 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 Mason County come from?
The largest single origin is Fleming County, with 49 households. Arriving households report an average income of $52,509 against $45,702 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Mason 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 Mason 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.
Mason County
Cities and places in Mason.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Mason 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maysville | city | 8,737 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Dover | city | 247 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Germantown | city | 232 | None recorded | 19.3 percent here, 80.7 percent Bracken County |
| Sardis | city | 98 | None recorded | 68.5 percent here, 31.5 percent Robertson County |
| Mays Lick | CDP | 88 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
Nearby