Kent County, Maryland: commercial real estate data.
Kent County, Maryland had an estimated 19,557 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 19,197, across 277 square miles. County output reached $1.25 bn in 2024, 570 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 8 7(a) approvals worth $3.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Kent County
How many people live in Kent County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202419,346
- Households8,493
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$80,147
- Median age48.6
- Median gross rent$1,209 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$330,900
- Home value to household income4.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher39.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree18.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over13,984
- Population under 182,989
- Share under 1815.5 percent
- Population 65 and over5,305
- Share 65 and over27.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6411,052
- Civilian labor force10,031
- Unemployment rate3.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.3 percent
- Rank by population among Maryland counties24th of 24
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1921st of 3,222
Kent County is the 24th largest of 24 Maryland counties by population. A median home costs 4.1 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 27.4 percent against 15.5 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.
Kent County
Is Kent County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202419,557
- Census 2020 base population19,197
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.88 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024116
- Births, 2024157
- Deaths, 2024232
- Natural change, 2024-75
- Net domestic migration, 2024142
- Net international migration, 202446
- Total net migration, 2024188
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024779
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1210th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.88 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.
Kent County
Where are people moving to Kent County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving545
- People arriving, from those returns900
- Tax returns filed by households leaving519
- Net household movement26
- Adjusted gross income arriving$57.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$21.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$105,466
- Average income of a leaving household$69,146
- Largest single originQueen Anne's County (78 households)
- Largest single destinationQueen Anne's County (81 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queen Anne's County | 78 | 146 | $6.1 m |
| New Castle County | 40 | 59 | $6.7 m |
| Anne Arundel County | 37 | 59 | $2.2 m |
| Cecil County | 32 | 59 | $2.0 m |
| Kent County | 27 | 51 | $1.9 m |
Households arriving report $36,320 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 Queen Anne's 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.
Kent County
What is the Kent County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.25 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.22 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.2 percent
- GDP change over five years27.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Maryland areas BEA publishes23rd of 24
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1670th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$64,527
Output grew 2.2 percent in the latest year and 27.6 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.
Kent County
Employment by industry in Kent County
- Covered employment, annual average7,648
- Establishments reporting750
- Average annual pay$52,881
- Average weekly wage$1,017
- Manufacturing, employment920
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$65,601
- Health care and social assistance, employment865
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$51,900
- Educational services, employment848
- Educational services, average annual pay$45,891
- Retail trade, employment749
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,469
- Accommodation and food services, employment658
- Construction, employment444
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 920 | 32 | $65,601 |
| Health care and social assistance | 865 | 77 | $51,900 |
| Educational services | 848 | 21 | $45,891 |
| Retail trade | 749 | 76 | $32,469 |
| Accommodation and food services | 658 | 62 | $26,291 |
| Construction | 444 | 74 | $59,275 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 387 | 32 | $31,318 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 303 | 46 | $58,763 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 920 jobs, 12.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Kent County
How many businesses are in Kent County?
- Establishments, all industries570
- Employment at those establishments6,462
- Annual payroll$327.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents29.5
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.
Kent County
Building permits in Kent County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202448
- Declared construction value permitted$20.2 m
- Single family units authorized48
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$420,087
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.7
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.
Kent County
SBA loans in Kent County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded8
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$3.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$386,888
- Median 7(a) approval$91,500
- Largest single approval$1,749,200
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)65
- Jobs per approval8.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active5
- Distinct industries receiving approvals7
- Median 7(a) term72 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderManufacturers and Traders Trust Company (4)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$3.6 m
- Average 504 approval$716,400
- Median 504 approval$254,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval10.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.8
- Most active CDC504 Capital Corporation (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$6.7 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.
Kent County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Kent County
Do SBA loans in Kent County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure5
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Cancelled1
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.
Kent County
SBA lending by place in Kent County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Chestertown, approvals4
- Rock Hall, approvals2
- Galena, approvals1
- Worton, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Chestertown | 4 | $1,165,900 |
| Rock Hall | 2 | $1,839,200 |
| Galena | 1 | $50,000 |
| Worton | 1 | $40,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Kent County
How large is Kent County?
- Land area277 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Maryland counties20th of 24
- Width, east to west28 mi
- Height, north to south25.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land70
- Establishments per square mile2.06
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.
Kent County
Flood risk in Kent County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Kent County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 240045
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Kent County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Kent County (community 240045), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Kent County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 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 Kent 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 Kent County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202419,346
- Households8,493
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$80,147
- Median age48.6
Common questions
Kent County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Kent County, Maryland?
The Census Bureau estimates 19,557 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 19,346, in 8,493 households, ranking 24th of 24 Maryland counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Kent County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.88 percent since the 2020 census base of 19,197, to 19,557 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 157 births against 232 deaths, with net migration of 188. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Kent County?
$80,147. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $330,900, which is 4.1 times income, and median gross rent is $1,209 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Kent County?
570 establishments, employing 6,462 people with an annual payroll of $327.2 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 Kent County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 920 jobs, 12.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,648 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,881, or $1,017 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Kent County?
8 7(a) approvals totaling $3.1 m since FY2020, across 5 lenders, with a median approval of $91,500, plus 5 504 approvals worth $3.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Kent County?
48 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $20.2 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Kent County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Kent County come from?
The largest single origin is Queen Anne's County, with 78 households. Arriving households report an average income of $105,466 against $69,146 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Kent 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 Kent 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.
Kent County
Cities and places in Kent.
14 Census places lie wholly or partly in Kent County. All 14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chestertown | town | 5,594 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Rock Hall | town | 1,215 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Galena | town | 728 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Butlertown | CDP | 511 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chesapeake Landing | CDP | 509 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Millington | town | 469 | None recorded | 89.8 percent here, 10.2 percent Queen Anne's County |
| Betterton | town | 391 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Tolchester | CDP | 379 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fairlee | CDP | 299 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kennedyville | CDP | 205 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Worton | CDP | 126 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Still Pond | CDP | 102 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Edesville | CDP | 34 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Georgetown | CDP | 8 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby