HomeMississippiLafayette County
Lafayette County, Mississippi: commercial real estate data.
Lafayette County, Mississippi had an estimated 59,843 residents on July 1, 2024, up 7.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 55,816, across 632 square miles. County output reached $3.16 bn in 2024, 1,435 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 39 7(a) approvals worth $16.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Lafayette County
How many people live in Lafayette County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202458,327
- Households19,044
- Average household size3.06
- Median household income$67,185
- Median age30.7
- Median gross rent$1,085 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$315,400
- Home value to household income4.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher46.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree22.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over33,974
- Population under 1810,537
- Share under 1818.1 percent
- Population 65 and over7,981
- Share 65 and over13.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6439,809
- Civilian labor force26,873
- Unemployment rate2.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.2 percent
- Rank by population among Mississippi counties12th of 82
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included914th of 3,222
Lafayette County is the 12th largest of 82 Mississippi counties by population. A median home costs 4.7 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 18.1 percent against 13.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lafayette County
Is Lafayette County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202459,843
- Census 2020 base population55,816
- Population change since the 2020 census base7.21 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024443
- Births, 2024529
- Deaths, 2024488
- Natural change, 202441
- Net domestic migration, 2024177
- Net international migration, 2024220
- Total net migration, 2024397
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20243,073
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents298th of 3,144
The county has grown 7.21 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.
Lafayette County
Where are people moving to Lafayette County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,803
- People arriving, from those returns3,139
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,820
- Net household movement-17
- Adjusted gross income arriving$123.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$15.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$68,309
- Average income of a leaving household$59,410
- Largest single originPanola County (114 households)
- Largest single destinationShelby County (97 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panola County | 114 | 246 | $4.5 m |
| DeSoto County | 95 | 171 | $5.0 m |
| Shelby County | 85 | 164 | $8.8 m |
| Yalobusha County | 73 | 142 | $2.8 m |
| Madison County | 49 | 103 | $4.5 m |
| Lee County | 48 | 91 | $4.6 m |
| Hinds County | 36 | 57 | $3.4 m |
| Marshall County | 36 | 61 | $1.6 m |
Households arriving report $8,899 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 Panola 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.
Lafayette County
What is the Lafayette County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.16 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.94 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.4 percent
- GDP change over five years38.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Mississippi areas BEA publishes13th of 82
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes941st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$54,180
Output grew 7.4 percent in the latest year and 38.5 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.
Lafayette County
Employment by industry in Lafayette County
- Covered employment, annual average25,442
- Establishments reporting1,553
- Average annual pay$50,652
- Average weekly wage$974
- Accommodation and food services, employment4,828
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$22,845
- Health care and social assistance, employment3,270
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$60,935
- Retail trade, employment3,148
- Retail trade, average annual pay$29,722
- Manufacturing, employment1,548
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$58,482
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment1,084
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment803
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 4,828 | 233 | $22,845 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,270 | 193 | $60,935 |
| Retail trade | 3,148 | 238 | $29,722 |
| Manufacturing | 1,548 | 30 | $58,482 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,084 | 180 | $74,465 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 803 | 82 | $26,263 |
| Construction | 683 | 105 | $60,043 |
| Finance and insurance | 595 | 100 | $93,297 |
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 4,828 jobs, 19.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lafayette County
How many businesses are in Lafayette County?
- Establishments, all industries1,435
- Employment at those establishments19,206
- Annual payroll$844.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.6
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.
Lafayette County
Building permits in Lafayette County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024522
- Declared construction value permitted$171.0 m
- Single family units authorized450
- Multifamily units authorized72
- Multifamily share of units13.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$327,505
- Units authorized per 1,000 households27.4
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.
Lafayette County
SBA loans in Lafayette County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded39
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$16.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$411,659
- Median 7(a) approval$185,000
- 10th percentile approval$59,440
- 90th percentile approval$944,160
- Largest single approval$2,680,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)699
- Jobs per approval17.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active19
- Distinct industries receiving approvals29
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer2.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter33
- Franchise loans10
- Franchise share of approvals25.6 percent
- Most active lenderBankFirst Financial Services (8)
- 504 approvals recorded9
- 504 gross approval dollars$9.9 m
- Average 504 approval$1,101,556
- Median 504 approval$815,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval25.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved23.3
- Most active CDCThree Rivers Local Development Company, Inc. (9)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$26.0 m
The average approval of $411,659 sits well above the median of $185,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 2.6 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.
Lafayette County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Lafayette County
Do SBA loans in Lafayette County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded11
- Paid in full10
- Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full10
- Status: Exempt from disclosure24
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Cancelled4
Only 11 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.
Lafayette County
SBA lending by place in Lafayette County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Oxford, approvals38
- Nashville, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Oxford | 38 | $15,979,700 |
| Nashville | 1 | $75,000 |
Oxford accounts for 38 approvals against 1 in Nashville. 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.
Lafayette County
How large is Lafayette County?
- Land area632 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Mississippi counties29th of 82
- Width, east to west27.2 mi
- Height, north to south27.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land92
- Establishments per square mile2.27
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.
Lafayette County
Flood risk in Lafayette County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Lafayette County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 280093
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- 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 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Lafayette 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 Lafayette County (community 280093), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Lafayette 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. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 8, 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 Lafayette 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 Lafayette County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202458,327
- Households19,044
- Average household size3.06
- Median household income$67,185
- Median age30.7
Common questions
Lafayette County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lafayette County, Mississippi?
The Census Bureau estimates 59,843 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 58,327, in 19,044 households, ranking 12th of 82 Mississippi counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lafayette County's population growing?
The population has grown 7.21 percent since the 2020 census base of 55,816, to 59,843 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 529 births against 488 deaths, with net migration of 397. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lafayette County?
$67,185. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $315,400, which is 4.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,085 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Lafayette County?
1,435 establishments, employing 19,206 people with an annual payroll of $844.0 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 Lafayette County?
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 4,828 jobs, 19.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 25,442 jobs at an average annual pay of $50,652, or $974 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lafayette County?
39 7(a) approvals totaling $16.1 m since FY2020, across 19 lenders, with a median approval of $185,000, plus 9 504 approvals worth $9.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Lafayette County?
522 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $171.0 m. Multifamily was 13.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lafayette 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 Lafayette County come from?
The largest single origin is Panola County, with 114 households. Arriving households report an average income of $68,309 against $59,410 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lafayette 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 Lafayette 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.
Lafayette County
Cities and places in Lafayette.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Lafayette County. All 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | city | 26,411 | 38 | Wholly in this county |
| University | CDP | 5,315 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Abbeville | town | 311 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Paris | CDP | 302 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Taylor | village | 245 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Tula | CDP | 123 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 39 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Lafayette County, the largest being Nashville (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.