Oakland County, Michigan: commercial real estate data.
Oakland County, Michigan had an estimated 1,296,888 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 1,274,371, across 868 square miles. County output reached $143.14 bn in 2024, 39,792 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 2,617 7(a) approvals worth $1.14 bn since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Oakland County
How many people live in Oakland County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20241,279,825
- Households530,460
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$97,760
- Median age41.3
- Median gross rent$1,376 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$343,600
- Home value to household income3.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher51.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree22.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over920,268
- Population under 18259,334
- Share under 1820.3 percent
- Population 65 and over235,056
- Share 65 and over18.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64785,435
- Civilian labor force697,190
- Unemployment rate4.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over68.3 percent
- Rank by population among Michigan counties2nd of 83
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included33rd of 3,222
Oakland County is the 2nd largest of 83 Michigan counties by population. A median home costs 3.5 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.3 percent against 18.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Oakland County
Is Oakland County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20241,296,888
- Census 2020 base population1,274,371
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.77 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202415,052
- Births, 202412,241
- Deaths, 202410,953
- Natural change, 20241,288
- Net domestic migration, 2024-4,432
- Net international migration, 202418,153
- Total net migration, 202413,721
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-23,813
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1249th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.77 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.
Oakland County
Where are people moving to Oakland County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving30,463
- People arriving, from those returns48,444
- Tax returns filed by households leaving33,965
- Net household movement-3,502
- Adjusted gross income arriving$2.60 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-1.06 bn
- Average income of an arriving household$85,214
- Average income of a leaving household$107,594
- Largest single originWayne County (8,361 households)
- Largest single destinationWayne County (6,851 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | 8,361 | 13,638 | $572.8 m |
| Macomb County | 5,338 | 8,444 | $414.7 m |
| Genesee County | 1,270 | 2,029 | $79.5 m |
| Livingston County | 1,008 | 1,537 | $76.1 m |
| Washtenaw County | 992 | 1,402 | $83.5 m |
| Cook County | 548 | 827 | $81.3 m |
| Ingham County | 431 | 605 | $26.4 m |
| Kent County | 423 | 592 | $26.5 m |
Households arriving report $22,380 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Wayne 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.
Oakland County
What is the Oakland County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$143.14 bn
- County GDP, 2023$138.03 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.7 percent
- GDP change over five years30.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Michigan areas BEA publishes1st of 83
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes31st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$111,847
Output grew 3.7 percent in the latest year and 30.6 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.
Oakland County
Employment by industry in Oakland County
- Covered employment, annual average723,862
- Establishments reporting43,047
- Average annual pay$77,917
- Average weekly wage$1,498
- Health care and social assistance, employment110,614
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$64,493
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment93,104
- Professional, scientific and technical services, average annual pay$117,655
- Retail trade, employment71,533
- Retail trade, average annual pay$45,131
- Manufacturing, employment68,661
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$95,182
- Accommodation and food services, employment57,076
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment49,441
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 110,614 | 5,528 | $64,493 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 93,104 | 7,038 | $117,655 |
| Retail trade | 71,533 | 4,697 | $45,131 |
| Manufacturing | 68,661 | 2,267 | $95,182 |
| Accommodation and food services | 57,076 | 3,059 | $27,609 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 49,441 | 2,653 | $59,506 |
| Finance and insurance | 42,518 | 2,518 | $112,610 |
| Wholesale trade | 38,222 | 2,398 | $119,740 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 110,614 jobs, 15.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Oakland County
How many businesses are in Oakland County?
- Establishments, all industries39,792
- Employment at those establishments733,671
- Annual payroll$53.21 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents31.1
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.
Oakland County
Building permits in Oakland County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20242,886
- Declared construction value permitted$996.4 m
- Single family units authorized1,870
- Multifamily units authorized1,016
- Multifamily share of units35.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$345,244
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.4
Single-family homes are 64.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Oakland County
SBA loans in Oakland County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded2,617
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$1.14 bn
- Average 7(a) approval$434,867
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,110,200
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)27,914
- Jobs per approval10.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active141
- Distinct industries receiving approvals397
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer11.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms293
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter2,170
- Franchise loans357
- Franchise share of approvals13.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (123)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (1,155)
- 504 approvals recorded514
- 504 gross approval dollars$400.8 m
- Average 504 approval$779,776
- Median 504 approval$458,500
- Distinct CDCs active7
- 504 jobs per approval17.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved22.4
- Most active CDCMichigan Certified Development Corporation (219)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$1.54 bn
The average approval of $434,867 sits well above the median of $150,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 11.2 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.
Oakland County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Oakland County
Do SBA loans in Oakland County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded485
- Paid in full448
- Charged off37
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans7.6 percent
- Status: Paid in full448
- Status: Cancelled316
- Status: Exempt from disclosure1,630
- Status: Charged off37
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed186
| NAICS | Industry | Resolved loans | Charged off | Charge off rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 484121 | General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload | 33 | 0 | 0.0% |
Of the 485 loans that have reached a final outcome, 7.6 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong. Among industries with at least 30 resolved loans, General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload carries the highest charge-off rate at 0.0 percent.
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.
Oakland County
SBA lending by place in Oakland County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending97
- Troy, approvals281
- Southfield, approvals171
- Farmington Hills, approvals147
- Royal Oak, approvals126
- Novi, approvals121
- Waterford, approvals112
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Troy | 281 | $131,051,700 |
| Southfield | 171 | $64,290,600 |
| Farmington Hills | 147 | $66,934,300 |
| Royal Oak | 126 | $55,897,800 |
| Novi | 121 | $54,609,900 |
| Waterford | 112 | $43,698,500 |
| Rochester | 103 | $42,339,000 |
| Bloomfield Hills | 90 | $42,938,600 |
| 89 other borrower cities | 1,466 | $636,285,600 |
Troy accounts for 281 approvals against 171 in Southfield. 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.
Oakland County
How large is Oakland County?
- Land area868 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Michigan counties15th of 83
- Width, east to west30.9 mi
- Height, north to south31.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land1,474
- Establishments per square mile45.84
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.
Oakland County
Flood risk in Oakland County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book57
- Of those, participating in the NFIP55
- NFIP participation rate96.5 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class3
- Radon levels in Oakland County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The EPA places Oakland 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 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 96.5 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 Oakland 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 Oakland County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20241,279,825
- Households530,460
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$97,760
- Median age41.3
Common questions
Oakland County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Oakland County, Michigan?
The Census Bureau estimates 1,296,888 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 1,279,825, in 530,460 households, ranking 2nd of 83 Michigan counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Oakland County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.77 percent since the 2020 census base of 1,274,371, to 1,296,888 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 12,241 births against 10,953 deaths, with net migration of 13,721. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Oakland County?
$97,760. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $343,600, which is 3.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,376 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Oakland County?
39,792 establishments, employing 733,671 people with an annual payroll of $53.21 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Oakland County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 110,614 jobs, 15.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 723,862 jobs at an average annual pay of $77,917, or $1,498 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Oakland County?
2,617 7(a) approvals totaling $1.14 bn since FY2020, across 141 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 514 504 approvals worth $400.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Oakland County get paid back?
Of the 485 loans that have reached a final outcome, 448 were paid in full and 37 charged off, a charge-off rate of 7.6 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Oakland County?
2,886 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $996.4 m. Multifamily was 35.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Oakland 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 Oakland County come from?
The largest single origin is Wayne County, with 8,361 households. Arriving households report an average income of $85,214 against $107,594 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Oakland 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 Oakland 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.
Oakland County
Cities and places in Oakland.
40 Census places lie wholly or partly in Oakland County. All 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troy | city | 87,898 | 281 | Wholly in this county |
| Farmington Hills | city | 83,515 | 147 | Wholly in this county |
| Rochester Hills | city | 77,089 | 89 | Wholly in this county |
| Southfield | city | 76,236 | 171 | Wholly in this county |
| Novi | city | 66,717 | 121 | Wholly in this county |
| Pontiac | city | 62,104 | 57 | Wholly in this county |
| Royal Oak | city | 57,950 | 126 | Wholly in this county |
| Oak Park | city | 29,318 | 51 | Wholly in this county |
| Madison Heights | city | 28,419 | 69 | Wholly in this county |
| Auburn Hills | city | 25,105 | 61 | Wholly in this county |
| Birmingham | city | 21,763 | 74 | Wholly in this county |
| Ferndale | city | 19,190 | 71 | Wholly in this county |
| Wixom | city | 17,295 | 61 | Wholly in this county |
| Berkley | city | 15,149 | 33 | Wholly in this county |
| Hazel Park | city | 14,963 | 19 | Wholly in this county |
| Rochester | city | 12,934 | 103 | Wholly in this county |
| South Lyon | city | 11,950 | 41 | Wholly in this county |
| Farmington | city | 11,504 | 62 | Wholly in this county |
| Clawson | city | 11,374 | 27 | Wholly in this county |
| Beverly Hills | village | 10,524 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Walled Lake | city | 7,299 | 41 | Wholly in this county |
| Milford | village | 6,487 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| Huntington Woods | city | 6,328 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Northville | city | 6,069 | 9 | 48.9 percent here, 51.1 percent Wayne County |
| Holly | village | 5,964 | 49 | Wholly in this county |
| Wolverine Lake | village | 4,487 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Bloomfield Hills | city | 4,415 | 90 | Wholly in this county |
| Lathrup Village | city | 4,059 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Oxford | village | 3,474 | 45 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Orion | village | 2,863 | 70 | Wholly in this county |
| Keego Harbor | city | 2,747 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Pleasant Ridge | city | 2,602 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Franklin | village | 2,554 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Orchard Lake Village | city | 2,238 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Sylvan Lake | city | 1,705 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Bingham Farms | village | 1,680 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Ortonville | village | 1,341 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| Village of Clarkston | city | 874 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Leonard | village | 346 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Angelus | city | 238 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
A further 544 of the county's 2,617 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Oakland County, the largest being Waterford (112), Clarkston (84), West Bloomfield (83). 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.
Nearby