Whitley County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Whitley County, Kentucky had an estimated 37,233 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 36,709, across 438 square miles. County output reached $1.56 bn in 2024, 629 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 10 7(a) approvals worth $12.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Whitley County
How many people live in Whitley County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202436,920
- Households13,541
- Average household size2.73
- Median household income$44,615
- Median age35.2
- Median gross rent$798 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$131,800
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income21.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over23,131
- Population under 189,657
- Share under 1826.2 percent
- Population 65 and over5,784
- Share 65 and over15.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6421,479
- Civilian labor force14,622
- Unemployment rate5.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over53.6 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties28th of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1287th of 3,222
Whitley County is the 28th largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 26.2 percent against 15.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Whitley County
Is Whitley County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202437,233
- Census 2020 base population36,709
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.43 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024316
- Births, 2024574
- Deaths, 2024581
- Natural change, 2024-7
- Net domestic migration, 2024252
- Net international migration, 202469
- Total net migration, 2024321
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024565
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1359th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.43 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.
Whitley County
Where are people moving to Whitley County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving868
- People arriving, from those returns1,779
- Tax returns filed by households leaving879
- Net household movement-11
- Adjusted gross income arriving$31.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-396,000
- Average income of an arriving household$36,010
- Average income of a leaving household$36,010
- Largest single originLaurel County (212 households)
- Largest single destinationLaurel County (259 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel County | 212 | 441 | $7.6 m |
| Knox County | 167 | 367 | $5.3 m |
| Campbell County | 30 | 79 | $715,000 |
| Fayette County | 23 | 36 | $1.1 m |
| Madison County | 20 | 41 | $657,000 |
Households arriving report $0 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Laurel 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.
Whitley County
What is the Whitley County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.56 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.47 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.2 percent
- GDP change over five years40.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kentucky areas BEA publishes33rd of 120
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1482nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$42,238
Output grew 6.2 percent in the latest year and 40.2 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.
Whitley County
Employment by industry in Whitley County
- Covered employment, annual average14,351
- Establishments reporting1,040
- Average annual pay$46,563
- Average weekly wage$895
- Retail trade, employment1,522
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,264
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,300
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,797
- Manufacturing, employment1,172
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$53,570
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment961
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$37,864
- Information, employment328
- Wholesale trade, employment326
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,522 | 180 | $33,264 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,300 | 79 | $21,797 |
| Manufacturing | 1,172 | 25 | $53,570 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 961 | 54 | $37,864 |
| Information | 328 | 18 | $44,433 |
| Wholesale trade | 326 | 28 | $64,251 |
| Other services, except public administration | 314 | 106 | $35,484 |
| Finance and insurance | 254 | 56 | $57,481 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,522 jobs, 10.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Whitley County
How many businesses are in Whitley County?
- Establishments, all industries629
- Employment at those establishments10,058
- Annual payroll$466.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.0
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.
Whitley County
Building permits in Whitley County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202466
- Declared construction value permitted$8.0 m
- Single family units authorized20
- Multifamily units authorized46
- Multifamily share of units69.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$120,990
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.9
Multifamily is 69.7 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Whitley County
SBA loans in Whitley County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded10
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$12.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,239,610
- Median 7(a) approval$698,050
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)87
- Jobs per approval8.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active8
- Distinct industries receiving approvals7
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer40.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals30.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.2 m
- Average 504 approval$2,080,000
- Median 504 approval$2,400,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval10.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved4.8
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$18.6 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.
Whitley County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Whitley County
Do SBA loans in Whitley County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure8
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 0 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.
Whitley County
SBA lending by place in Whitley County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Corbin, approvals8
- Williamsburg, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Corbin | 8 | $10,094,100 |
| Williamsburg | 2 | $2,302,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Whitley County
How large is Whitley County?
- Land area438 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties22nd of 120
- Width, east to west26.2 mi
- Height, north to south25.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land84
- Establishments per square mile1.44
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.
Whitley County
Flood risk in Whitley County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Whitley County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 210226
- 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 Whitley 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 Whitley County (community 210226), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Whitley 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 Whitley 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 Whitley County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202436,920
- Households13,541
- Average household size2.73
- Median household income$44,615
- Median age35.2
Common questions
Whitley County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Whitley County, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates 37,233 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 36,920, in 13,541 households, ranking 28th of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Whitley County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.43 percent since the 2020 census base of 36,709, to 37,233 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 574 births against 581 deaths, with net migration of 321. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Whitley County?
$44,615. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $131,800, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $798 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Whitley County?
629 establishments, employing 10,058 people with an annual payroll of $466.4 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 Whitley County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,522 jobs, 10.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 14,351 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,563, or $895 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Whitley County?
10 7(a) approvals totaling $12.4 m since FY2020, across 8 lenders, with a median approval of $698,050, plus 3 504 approvals worth $6.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Whitley County?
66 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $8.0 m. Multifamily was 69.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Whitley 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 Whitley County come from?
The largest single origin is Laurel County, with 212 households. Arriving households report an average income of $36,010 against $36,010 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Whitley 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 Whitley 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.
Whitley County
Cities and places in Whitley.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Whitley 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 | 8 | 70.3 percent here, 29.7 percent Knox County |
| Williamsburg | city | 5,270 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Emlyn | CDP | 488 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pleasant View | CDP | 241 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rockholds | CDP | 130 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |