HomeMississippiLeake County
Leake County, Mississippi: commercial real estate data.
Leake County, Mississippi had an estimated 21,462 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 21,273, across 583 square miles. County output reached $897.2 m in 2024, 320 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 28 7(a) approvals worth $26.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Leake County
How many people live in Leake County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202421,319
- Households7,414
- Average household size2.88
- Median household income$50,728
- Median age40.3
- Median gross rent$765 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$116,800
- Home value to household income2.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher15.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over14,039
- Population under 184,986
- Share under 1823.4 percent
- Population 65 and over3,872
- Share 65 and over18.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6412,461
- Civilian labor force8,736
- Unemployment rate6.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over53.5 percent
- Rank by population among Mississippi counties42nd of 82
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1803rd of 3,222
Leake County is the 42nd largest of 82 Mississippi counties by population. A median home costs 2.3 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.4 percent against 18.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Leake County
Is Leake County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202421,462
- Census 2020 base population21,273
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.89 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024126
- Births, 2024298
- Deaths, 2024290
- Natural change, 20248
- Net domestic migration, 2024-45
- Net international migration, 2024164
- Total net migration, 2024119
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-254
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1519th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.89 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.
Leake County
Where are people moving to Leake County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving349
- People arriving, from those returns697
- Tax returns filed by households leaving406
- Net household movement-57
- Adjusted gross income arriving$13.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-2.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$38,536
- Average income of a leaving household$39,887
- Largest single originNeshoba County (57 households)
- Largest single destinationRankin County (58 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neshoba County | 57 | 127 | $2.4 m |
| Rankin County | 40 | 85 | $2.1 m |
| Attala County | 38 | 84 | $1.3 m |
| Scott County | 35 | 62 | $1.1 m |
| Madison County | 34 | 73 | $1.3 m |
Households arriving report $1,351 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Neshoba 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.
Leake County
What is the Leake County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$897.2 m
- County GDP, 2023$755.2 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 202418.8 percent
- GDP change over five years68.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Mississippi areas BEA publishes40th of 82
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1933rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$42,084
Output grew 18.8 percent in the latest year and 68.8 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.
Leake County
Employment by industry in Leake County
- Covered employment, annual average5,416
- Establishments reporting350
- Average annual pay$39,257
- Average weekly wage$755
- Retail trade, employment694
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,875
- Finance and insurance, employment110
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$54,544
- Utilities, employment94
- Utilities, average annual pay$77,452
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment70
- Professional, scientific and technical services, average annual pay$43,742
- Wholesale trade, employment69
- Transportation and warehousing, employment35
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 694 | 75 | $30,875 |
| Finance and insurance | 110 | 22 | $54,544 |
| Utilities | 94 | 9 | $77,452 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 70 | 30 | $43,742 |
| Wholesale trade | 69 | 10 | $46,604 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 35 | 11 | $46,853 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 24 | 10 | $20,421 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 694 jobs, 12.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Leake County
How many businesses are in Leake County?
- Establishments, all industries320
- Employment at those establishments5,160
- Annual payroll$180.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents15.0
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.
Leake County
Building permits in Leake County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20240
- Declared construction value permitted$0
- Single family units authorized0
- Multifamily units authorized0
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. In a small county this is common and is not by itself a sign of distress, but it does mean there is no recent residential pipeline to read demand from.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Leake County
SBA loans in Leake County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded28
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$26.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$943,643
- Median 7(a) approval$747,500
- 10th percentile approval$57,320
- 90th percentile approval$1,813,360
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)121
- Jobs per approval4.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals13
- Median 7(a) term180 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer14.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter10
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals3.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countBroilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (12)
- Most active lenderCommunity Bank of Mississippi (8)
The average approval of $943,643 sits well above the median of $747,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 14.3 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.
Leake County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Leake County
Do SBA loans in Leake County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded6
- Paid in full6
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure19
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Only 6 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.
Leake County
SBA lending by place in Leake County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Carthage, approvals23
- Lena, approvals3
- Kosciusko, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Carthage | 23 | $23,358,900 |
| Lena | 3 | $1,908,100 |
| Kosciusko | 2 | $1,155,000 |
Carthage accounts for 23 approvals against 3 in Lena. 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.
Leake County
How large is Leake County?
- Land area583 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Mississippi counties38th of 82
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south24.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land37
- Establishments per square mile0.55
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.
Leake County
Flood risk in Leake County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Leake County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 280293
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Leake 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 Leake County (community 280293), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Leake 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. 80.0 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 Leake 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 Leake County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202421,319
- Households7,414
- Average household size2.88
- Median household income$50,728
- Median age40.3
Common questions
Leake County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Leake County, Mississippi?
The Census Bureau estimates 21,462 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 21,319, in 7,414 households, ranking 42nd of 82 Mississippi counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Leake County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.89 percent since the 2020 census base of 21,273, to 21,462 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 298 births against 290 deaths, with net migration of 119. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Leake County?
$50,728. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $116,800, which is 2.3 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 Leake County?
320 establishments, employing 5,160 people with an annual payroll of $180.1 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 Leake County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 694 jobs, 12.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,416 jobs at an average annual pay of $39,257, or $755 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Leake County?
28 7(a) approvals totaling $26.4 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $747,500. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Leake County?
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Leake 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 Leake County come from?
The largest single origin is Neshoba County, with 57 households. Arriving households report an average income of $38,536 against $39,887 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Leake 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 Leake 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.
Leake County
Cities and places in Leake.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Leake 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carthage | city | 4,866 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| Walnut Grove | town | 737 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Redwater | CDP | 637 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Standing Pine | CDP | 479 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lena | town | 169 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 28 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Leake County, the largest being Kosciusko (2). 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.