HomeMississippiLee County
Lee County, Mississippi: commercial real estate data.
Lee County, Mississippi had an estimated 83,012 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 83,346, across 450 square miles. County output reached $6.48 bn in 2024, 2,550 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 43 7(a) approvals worth $24.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Lee County
How many people live in Lee County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202483,034
- Households32,591
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$67,863
- Median age37.5
- Median gross rent$957 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$199,500
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher28.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over55,433
- Population under 1820,728
- Share under 1825.0 percent
- Population 65 and over13,130
- Share 65 and over15.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6449,176
- Civilian labor force40,243
- Unemployment rate5.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.6 percent
- Rank by population among Mississippi counties7th of 82
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included707th of 3,222
Lee County is the 7th largest of 82 Mississippi counties by population. A median home costs 2.9 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.0 percent against 15.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lee County
Is Lee County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202483,012
- Census 2020 base population83,346
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.40 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024119
- Births, 20241,001
- Deaths, 2024929
- Natural change, 202472
- Net domestic migration, 20248
- Net international migration, 202436
- Total net migration, 202444
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-501
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1985th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.40 percent of its population 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.
Lee County
Where are people moving to Lee County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,048
- People arriving, from those returns3,835
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,054
- Net household movement-6
- Adjusted gross income arriving$97.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-6.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$47,540
- Average income of a leaving household$50,564
- Largest single originPontotoc County (196 households)
- Largest single destinationItawamba County (218 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pontotoc County | 196 | 383 | $8.2 m |
| Itawamba County | 184 | 380 | $6.8 m |
| Monroe County | 133 | 271 | $5.2 m |
| Prentiss County | 130 | 251 | $5.3 m |
| Union County | 126 | 251 | $6.0 m |
| Chickasaw County | 95 | 175 | $2.9 m |
| Lafayette County | 56 | 94 | $2.8 m |
| Alcorn County | 52 | 94 | $2.5 m |
Households arriving report $3,024 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Pontotoc 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.
Lee County
What is the Lee County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$6.48 bn
- County GDP, 2023$6.26 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.5 percent
- GDP change over five years29.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Mississippi areas BEA publishes7th of 82
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes614th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$78,006
Output grew 3.5 percent in the latest year and 29.9 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.
Lee County
Employment by industry in Lee County
- Covered employment, annual average52,532
- Establishments reporting2,687
- Average annual pay$51,183
- Average weekly wage$984
- Manufacturing, employment10,103
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$53,818
- Health care and social assistance, employment9,399
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$70,134
- Retail trade, employment6,931
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,716
- Accommodation and food services, employment4,800
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,352
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment3,737
- Finance and insurance, employment1,831
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 10,103 | 154 | $53,818 |
| Health care and social assistance | 9,399 | 344 | $70,134 |
| Retail trade | 6,931 | 523 | $33,716 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,800 | 264 | $19,352 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 3,737 | 127 | $34,560 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,831 | 173 | $95,091 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,812 | 157 | $63,178 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,754 | 122 | $54,283 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 10,103 jobs, 19.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lee County
How many businesses are in Lee County?
- Establishments, all industries2,550
- Employment at those establishments47,607
- Annual payroll$2.42 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents30.7
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.
Lee County
Building permits in Lee County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024126
- Declared construction value permitted$27.6 m
- Single family units authorized92
- Multifamily units authorized34
- Multifamily share of units27.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$218,719
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.9
Single-family homes are 73.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lee County
SBA loans in Lee County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded43
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$24.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$558,537
- Median 7(a) approval$338,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,576,480
- Largest single approval$2,310,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)664
- Jobs per approval15.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active17
- Distinct industries receiving approvals29
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer23.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms10
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter29
- Franchise loans11
- Franchise share of approvals25.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countInsurance Agencies and Brokerages (5)
- Most active lenderNewtek Bank, National Association (8)
- 504 approvals recorded9
- 504 gross approval dollars$10.2 m
- Average 504 approval$1,132,111
- Median 504 approval$926,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval19.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved17.0
- Most active CDCThree Rivers Local Development Company, Inc. (7)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$34.2 m
The average approval of $558,537 sits well above the median of $338,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 23.3 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. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lee County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Lee County
Do SBA loans in Lee County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full3
- Charged off1
- Status: Cancelled8
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure28
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Only 4 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.
Lee County
SBA lending by place in Lee County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending8
- Tupelo, approvals30
- Saltillo, approvals7
- Satillo, approvals1
- Guntown, approvals1
- Mooreville, approvals1
- Verona, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Tupelo | 30 | $20,072,800 |
| Saltillo | 7 | $3,119,300 |
| Satillo | 1 | $300,000 |
| Guntown | 1 | $150,000 |
| Mooreville | 1 | $150,000 |
| Verona | 1 | $150,000 |
| Shannon | 1 | $50,000 |
| Belden | 1 | $25,000 |
Tupelo accounts for 30 approvals against 7 in Saltillo. 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.
Lee County
How large is Lee County?
- Land area450 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Mississippi counties61st of 82
- Width, east to west16.2 mi
- Height, north to south30 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land185
- Establishments per square mile5.67
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.
Lee County
Flood risk in Lee County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Lee County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 280227
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- 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 9
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Lee 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 Lee County (community 280227), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Lee 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 9, 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 Lee 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 Lee County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202483,034
- Households32,591
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$67,863
- Median age37.5
Common questions
Lee County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lee County, Mississippi?
The Census Bureau estimates 83,012 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 83,034, in 32,591 households, ranking 7th of 82 Mississippi counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lee County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.40 percent since the 2020 census base of 83,346, to 83,012 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,001 births against 929 deaths, with net migration of 44. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lee County?
$67,863. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $199,500, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $957 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Lee County?
2,550 establishments, employing 47,607 people with an annual payroll of $2.42 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 Lee County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 10,103 jobs, 19.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 52,532 jobs at an average annual pay of $51,183, or $984 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lee County?
43 7(a) approvals totaling $24.0 m since FY2020, across 17 lenders, with a median approval of $338,000, plus 9 504 approvals worth $10.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Lee County?
126 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $27.6 m. Multifamily was 27.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lee 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 Lee County come from?
The largest single origin is Pontotoc County, with 196 households. Arriving households report an average income of $47,540 against $50,564 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lee 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 Lee 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.
Lee County
Cities and places in Lee.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Lee County. All 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tupelo | city | 37,791 | 30 | Wholly in this county |
| Saltillo | city | 4,952 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Baldwyn | city | 3,138 | None recorded | 53.4 percent here, 46.6 percent Prentiss County |
| Verona | city | 2,748 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Guntown | town | 2,594 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Mooreville | CDP | 2,154 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Nettleton | city | 1,853 | None recorded | 40.3 percent here, 59.7 percent Monroe County |
| Shannon | town | 1,383 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Plantersville | town | 929 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sherman | town | 545 | None recorded | 2.2 percent here, 73.5 percent Pontotoc County, 24.3 percent Union County |
A further 2 of the county's 43 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Lee County, the largest being Satillo (1), Belden (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.