Nelson County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Nelson County, Kentucky had an estimated 48,706 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 46,725, across 418 square miles. County output reached $2.39 bn in 2024, 1,023 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 21 7(a) approvals worth $14.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Nelson County
How many people live in Nelson County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202447,606
- Households19,150
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$69,562
- Median age39.5
- Median gross rent$1,008 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$238,000
- Home value to household income3.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher23.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over32,949
- Population under 1810,972
- Share under 1823.0 percent
- Population 65 and over8,291
- Share 65 and over17.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6428,343
- Civilian labor force23,912
- Unemployment rate3.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.3 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties22nd of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1050th of 3,222
Nelson County is the 22nd largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 3.4 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.0 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.
Nelson County
Is Nelson County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202448,706
- Census 2020 base population46,725
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.24 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024725
- Births, 2024544
- Deaths, 2024524
- Natural change, 202420
- Net domestic migration, 2024441
- Net international migration, 2024260
- Total net migration, 2024701
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,411
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents647th of 3,144
The county has grown 4.24 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.
Nelson County
Where are people moving to Nelson County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,213
- People arriving, from those returns2,185
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,037
- Net household movement176
- Adjusted gross income arriving$65.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$13.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$53,800
- Average income of a leaving household$49,819
- Largest single originJefferson County (309 households)
- Largest single destinationJefferson County (230 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 309 | 525 | $16.9 m |
| Bullitt County | 194 | 357 | $10.1 m |
| Hardin County | 92 | 180 | $4.4 m |
| Washington County | 59 | 112 | $2.4 m |
| Marion County | 40 | 80 | $2.1 m |
| Larue County | 34 | 70 | $1.4 m |
| Fayette County | 30 | 52 | $986,000 |
| Spencer County | 28 | 54 | $1.7 m |
Households arriving report $3,981 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 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.
Nelson County
What is the Nelson County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.39 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.26 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.7 percent
- GDP change over five years39.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kentucky areas BEA publishes25th of 120
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1130th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$50,297
Output grew 5.7 percent in the latest year and 39.0 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.
Nelson County
Employment by industry in Nelson County
- Covered employment, annual average18,445
- Establishments reporting1,530
- Average annual pay$56,670
- Average weekly wage$1,090
- Manufacturing, employment5,690
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$69,648
- Retail trade, employment2,037
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,074
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,010
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$57,368
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,545
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$23,189
- Construction, employment1,466
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment848
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5,690 | 94 | $69,648 |
| Retail trade | 2,037 | 175 | $36,074 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,010 | 247 | $57,368 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,545 | 90 | $23,189 |
| Construction | 1,466 | 195 | $69,312 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 848 | 86 | $34,969 |
| Wholesale trade | 666 | 65 | $78,092 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 455 | 146 | $71,618 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,690 jobs, 30.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Nelson County
How many businesses are in Nelson County?
- Establishments, all industries1,023
- Employment at those establishments17,214
- Annual payroll$926.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.5
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.
Nelson County
Building permits in Nelson County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024210
- Declared construction value permitted$48.5 m
- Single family units authorized181
- Multifamily units authorized29
- Multifamily share of units13.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$230,952
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.0
Single-family homes are 86.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Nelson County
SBA loans in Nelson County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded21
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$14.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$696,581
- Median 7(a) approval$265,500
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,790,000
- Largest single approval$3,680,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)221
- Jobs per approval10.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active13
- Distinct industries receiving approvals19
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer19.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter16
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals28.6 percent
- Most active lenderWilson & Muir Bank & Trust Company (5)
- 504 approvals recorded10
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.6 m
- Average 504 approval$662,100
- Median 504 approval$526,500
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval10.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved15.9
- Most active CDCCapital Access Corporation - Kentucky (6)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$21.2 m
The average approval of $696,581 sits well above the median of $265,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 19.0 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.
Nelson County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Nelson County
Do SBA loans in Nelson County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded6
- Paid in full6
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure12
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Only 6 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.
Nelson County
SBA lending by place in Nelson County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Bardstown, approvals17
- Coxs Creek, approvals2
- Bloomfield, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Bardstown | 17 | $14,408,200 |
| Coxs Creek | 2 | $175,000 |
| Bloomfield | 2 | $45,000 |
Bardstown accounts for 17 approvals against 2 in Coxs Creek. 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.
Nelson County
How large is Nelson County?
- Land area418 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties28th of 120
- Width, east to west32 mi
- Height, north to south30.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land114
- Establishments per square mile2.45
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.
Nelson County
Flood risk in Nelson County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Nelson County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 210177
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Nelson County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Nelson County (community 210177), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Nelson 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. 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 Nelson 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 Nelson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202447,606
- Households19,150
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$69,562
- Median age39.5
Common questions
Nelson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Nelson County, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates 48,706 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 47,606, in 19,150 households, ranking 22nd of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Nelson County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.24 percent since the 2020 census base of 46,725, to 48,706 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 544 births against 524 deaths, with net migration of 701. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Nelson County?
$69,562. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $238,000, which is 3.4 times income, and median gross rent is $1,008 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Nelson County?
1,023 establishments, employing 17,214 people with an annual payroll of $926.8 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 Nelson County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,690 jobs, 30.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 18,445 jobs at an average annual pay of $56,670, or $1,090 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Nelson County?
21 7(a) approvals totaling $14.6 m since FY2020, across 13 lenders, with a median approval of $265,500, plus 10 504 approvals worth $6.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Nelson County?
210 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $48.5 m. Multifamily was 13.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Nelson 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 Nelson County come from?
The largest single origin is Jefferson County, with 309 households. Arriving households report an average income of $53,800 against $49,819 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Nelson 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 Nelson 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.
Nelson County
Cities and places in Nelson.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Nelson County. All 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bardstown | city | 13,804 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Bloomfield | city | 1,124 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| New Haven | city | 837 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chaplin | CDP | 337 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Boston | CDP | 195 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fairfield | city | 194 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| New Hope | CDP | 62 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 21 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Nelson County, the largest being Coxs Creek (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.