Garrett County, Maryland: commercial real estate data.
Garrett County, Maryland had an estimated 28,393 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 28,805, across 647 square miles. County output reached $1.79 bn in 2024, 951 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 47 7(a) approvals worth $8.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Garrett County
How many people live in Garrett County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202428,615
- Households12,578
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$67,688
- Median age48.3
- Median gross rent$765 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$235,300
- Home value to household income3.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher25.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over21,509
- Population under 185,075
- Share under 1817.7 percent
- Population 65 and over6,925
- Share 65 and over24.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6416,615
- Civilian labor force14,041
- Unemployment rate4.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.6 percent
- Rank by population among Maryland counties22nd of 24
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1519th of 3,222
Garrett County is the 22nd largest of 24 Maryland counties by population. A median home costs 3.5 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 24.2 percent against 17.7 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Garrett County
Is Garrett County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202428,393
- Census 2020 base population28,805
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.43 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-109
- Births, 2024201
- Deaths, 2024385
- Natural change, 2024-184
- Net domestic migration, 202456
- Net international migration, 202421
- Total net migration, 202477
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024186
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2338th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.43 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.
Garrett County
Where are people moving to Garrett County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving516
- People arriving, from those returns867
- Tax returns filed by households leaving563
- Net household movement-47
- Adjusted gross income arriving$44.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$4.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$85,818
- Average income of a leaving household$70,531
- Largest single originAllegany County (66 households)
- Largest single destinationAllegany County (91 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany County | 66 | 104 | $4.3 m |
| Preston County | 28 | 54 | $1.3 m |
| Somerset County | 25 | 43 | $1.1 m |
| Baltimore County | 21 | 37 | $3.3 m |
Households arriving report $15,287 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 Allegany 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.
Garrett County
What is the Garrett County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.79 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.69 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.0 percent
- GDP change over five years31.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Maryland areas BEA publishes21st of 24
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1369th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$62,571
Output grew 6.0 percent in the latest year and 31.6 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.
Garrett County
Employment by industry in Garrett County
- Covered employment, annual average12,162
- Establishments reporting1,168
- Average annual pay$48,523
- Average weekly wage$933
- Retail trade, employment1,671
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,076
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,571
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$52,667
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,438
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$25,539
- Construction, employment1,201
- Construction, average annual pay$58,344
- Manufacturing, employment710
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment540
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,671 | 135 | $35,076 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,571 | 78 | $52,667 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,438 | 88 | $25,539 |
| Construction | 1,201 | 186 | $58,344 |
| Manufacturing | 710 | 45 | $49,265 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 540 | 74 | $48,579 |
| Wholesale trade | 539 | 37 | $56,585 |
| Other services, except public administration | 456 | 83 | $45,430 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,671 jobs, 13.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Garrett County
How many businesses are in Garrett County?
- Establishments, all industries951
- Employment at those establishments10,577
- Annual payroll$430.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents33.2
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.
Garrett County
Building permits in Garrett County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024122
- Declared construction value permitted$79.0 m
- Single family units authorized122
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$647,781
- Units authorized per 1,000 households9.7
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Garrett County
SBA loans in Garrett County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded47
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$8.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$174,051
- Median 7(a) approval$60,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$385,800
- Largest single approval$1,797,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)270
- Jobs per approval5.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active11
- Distinct industries receiving approvals32
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer10.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter39
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals2.1 percent
- Most active lenderManufacturers and Traders Trust Company (26)
- 504 approvals recorded4
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.2 m
- Average 504 approval$554,750
- Median 504 approval$301,500
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval3.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved6.8
- Most active CDCBusiness Finance Group, Inc. (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$10.4 m
The average approval of $174,051 sits well above the median of $60,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 10.6 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.
Garrett County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Garrett County
Do SBA loans in Garrett County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded15
- Paid in full15
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full15
- Status: Exempt from disclosure22
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed5
Only 15 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.
Garrett County
SBA lending by place in Garrett County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending9
- Oakland, approvals22
- Accident, approvals6
- Grantsville, approvals6
- Mc Henry, approvals5
- Swanton, approvals3
- Kitzmiller, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 22 | $3,229,900 |
| Accident | 6 | $789,500 |
| Grantsville | 6 | $525,500 |
| Mc Henry | 5 | $2,620,000 |
| Swanton | 3 | $820,000 |
| Kitzmiller | 2 | $50,500 |
| Frostburg | 1 | $60,000 |
| Mount Lake Park | 1 | $60,000 |
| 1 other borrower city | 1 | $25,000 |
Oakland accounts for 22 approvals against 6 in Accident. 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.
Garrett County
How large is Garrett County?
- Land area647 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Maryland counties2nd of 24
- Width, east to west29.7 mi
- Height, north to south35.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land44
- Establishments per square mile1.47
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.
Garrett County
Flood risk in Garrett County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Garrett County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 240034
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Garrett 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 Garrett County (community 240034), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Garrett 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 Garrett 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 Garrett County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202428,615
- Households12,578
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$67,688
- Median age48.3
Common questions
Garrett County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Garrett County, Maryland?
The Census Bureau estimates 28,393 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 28,615, in 12,578 households, ranking 22nd of 24 Maryland counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Garrett County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.43 percent since the 2020 census base of 28,805, to 28,393 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 201 births against 385 deaths, with net migration of 77. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Garrett County?
$67,688. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $235,300, which is 3.5 times income, and median gross rent is $765 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Garrett County?
951 establishments, employing 10,577 people with an annual payroll of $430.1 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 Garrett County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,671 jobs, 13.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 12,162 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,523, or $933 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Garrett County?
47 7(a) approvals totaling $8.2 m since FY2020, across 11 lenders, with a median approval of $60,000, plus 4 504 approvals worth $2.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Garrett County?
122 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $79.0 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Garrett 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 Garrett County come from?
The largest single origin is Allegany County, with 66 households. Arriving households report an average income of $85,818 against $70,531 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Garrett 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 Garrett 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.
Garrett County
Cities and places in Garrett.
15 Census places lie wholly or partly in Garrett County. All 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | town | 2,254 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| Mountain Lake Park | town | 2,167 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Grantsville | town | 1,013 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Finzel | CDP | 740 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Loch Lynn Heights | town | 480 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Friendsville | town | 416 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Accident | town | 351 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Deer Park | town | 288 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kitzmiller | town | 264 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Crellin | CDP | 165 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hutton | CDP | 157 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bloomington | CDP | 150 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Gorman | CDP | 100 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jennings | CDP | 16 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Swanton | CDP | 0 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
A further 7 of the county's 47 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Garrett County, the largest being Mc Henry (5), Frostburg (1), Mount Lake Park (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.