Meade County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Meade County, Kentucky had an estimated 30,442 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 30,007, across 305 square miles. County output reached $1.00 bn in 2024, 362 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 9 7(a) approvals worth $1.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Meade County
How many people live in Meade County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202430,158
- Households11,007
- Average household size2.74
- Median household income$74,355
- Median age39.5
- Median gross rent$1,026 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$207,900
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over21,203
- Population under 186,607
- Share under 1821.9 percent
- Population 65 and over4,708
- Share 65 and over15.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6418,843
- Civilian labor force14,909
- Unemployment rate4.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.3 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties35th of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1477th of 3,222
Meade County is the 35th largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.9 percent against 15.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Meade County
Is Meade County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202430,442
- Census 2020 base population30,007
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.45 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024276
- Births, 2024273
- Deaths, 2024284
- Natural change, 2024-11
- Net domestic migration, 2024284
- Net international migration, 20248
- Total net migration, 2024292
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024553
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1351st of 3,144
The county has grown 1.45 percent 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.
Meade County
Where are people moving to Meade County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,128
- People arriving, from those returns2,508
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,183
- Net household movement-55
- Adjusted gross income arriving$63.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$2.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$56,385
- Average income of a leaving household$51,423
- Largest single originHardin County (238 households)
- Largest single destinationHardin County (310 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin County | 238 | 488 | $12.8 m |
| Jefferson County | 209 | 421 | $11.8 m |
| Breckinridge County | 61 | 121 | $2.5 m |
| Bullitt County | 44 | 91 | $2.1 m |
Households arriving report $4,962 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 Hardin 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.
Meade County
What is the Meade County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.00 bn
- County GDP, 2023$819.7 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 202422.3 percent
- GDP change over five years74.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kentucky areas BEA publishes50th of 120
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1839th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$33,253
Output grew 22.3 percent in the latest year and 74.5 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.
Meade County
Employment by industry in Meade County
- Covered employment, annual average5,262
- Establishments reporting551
- Average annual pay$58,826
- Average weekly wage$1,131
- Manufacturing, employment876
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$122,633
- Construction, employment682
- Construction, average annual pay$67,637
- Retail trade, employment612
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,432
- Accommodation and food services, employment491
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,709
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment226
- Other services, except public administration, employment174
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 876 | 20 | $122,633 |
| Construction | 682 | 66 | $67,637 |
| Retail trade | 612 | 67 | $35,432 |
| Accommodation and food services | 491 | 44 | $20,709 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 226 | 62 | $67,695 |
| Other services, except public administration | 174 | 43 | $27,552 |
| Finance and insurance | 139 | 23 | $55,983 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 129 | 7 | $76,455 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 876 jobs, 16.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Meade County
How many businesses are in Meade County?
- Establishments, all industries362
- Employment at those establishments3,633
- Annual payroll$157.9 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents12.0
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.
Meade County
Building permits in Meade County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024124
- Declared construction value permitted$34.3 m
- Single family units authorized122
- Multifamily units authorized2
- Multifamily share of units1.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$276,963
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.3
Single-family homes are 98.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Meade County
SBA loans in Meade County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded9
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$1.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$207,867
- Median 7(a) approval$200,000
- Largest single approval$439,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)29
- Jobs per approval3.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals8
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer22.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals11.1 percent
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.5 m
- Average 504 approval$739,000
- Median 504 approval$739,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval7.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.5
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$3.3 m
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.
Meade County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Meade County
Do SBA loans in Meade County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Cancelled4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
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.
Meade County
SBA lending by place in Meade County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Brandenburg, approvals6
- Ekron, approvals2
- Bowling Green, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Brandenburg | 6 | $917,800 |
| Ekron | 2 | $878,000 |
| Bowling Green | 1 | $75,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Meade County
How large is Meade County?
- Land area305 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties62nd of 120
- Width, east to west28.1 mi
- Height, north to south23.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land99
- Establishments per square mile1.19
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.
Meade County
Flood risk in Meade County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Meade County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 210169
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book2
- Of those, participating in the NFIP2
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Meade 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 Meade County (community 210169), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Meade 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 Meade 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 Meade County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202430,158
- Households11,007
- Average household size2.74
- Median household income$74,355
- Median age39.5
Common questions
Meade County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Meade County, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates 30,442 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 30,158, in 11,007 households, ranking 35th of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Meade County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.45 percent since the 2020 census base of 30,007, to 30,442 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 273 births against 284 deaths, with net migration of 292. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Meade County?
$74,355. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $207,900, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $1,026 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Meade County?
362 establishments, employing 3,633 people with an annual payroll of $157.9 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 Meade County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 876 jobs, 16.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,262 jobs at an average annual pay of $58,826, or $1,131 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Meade County?
9 7(a) approvals totaling $1.9 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $200,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $1.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Meade County?
124 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $34.3 m. Multifamily was 1.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Meade 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 Meade County come from?
The largest single origin is Hardin County, with 238 households. Arriving households report an average income of $56,385 against $51,423 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Meade 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 Meade 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.
Meade County
Cities and places in Meade.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Meade 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Knox | CDP | 8,836 | None recorded | 33.0 percent here, 67.0 percent Hardin County |
| Brandenburg | city | 2,937 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Doe Valley | CDP | 1,776 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Muldraugh | city | 1,127 | None recorded | 96.9 percent here, 3.1 percent Hardin County |
| Ekron | city | 130 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 9 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Meade County, the largest being Bowling Green (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.