Lafayette County, Missouri: commercial real estate data.
Lafayette County, Missouri had an estimated 33,511 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 32,977, across 628 square miles. County output reached $1.16 bn in 2024, 732 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 29 7(a) approvals worth $8.5 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 2020-202433,115
- Households12,576
- Average household size2.63
- Median household income$80,612
- Median age40.9
- Median gross rent$928 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$216,500
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher26.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over23,207
- Population under 187,607
- Share under 1823.0 percent
- Population 65 and over6,393
- Share 65 and over19.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6419,115
- Civilian labor force16,710
- Unemployment rate3.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.5 percent
- Rank by population among Missouri counties35th of 115
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1391st of 3,222
Lafayette County is the 35th largest of 115 Missouri counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.0 percent against 19.3 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, 202433,511
- Census 2020 base population32,977
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.62 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024267
- Births, 2024382
- Deaths, 2024423
- Natural change, 2024-41
- Net domestic migration, 2024248
- Net international migration, 202461
- Total net migration, 2024309
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024686
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1294th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.62 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.
Lafayette County
Where are people moving to Lafayette County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving950
- People arriving, from those returns1,868
- Tax returns filed by households leaving901
- Net household movement49
- Adjusted gross income arriving$51.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$7.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$54,485
- Average income of a leaving household$49,518
- Largest single originJackson County (394 households)
- Largest single destinationJackson County (312 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 394 | 811 | $25.2 m |
| Johnson County | 60 | 105 | $2.5 m |
| Ray County | 50 | 92 | $1.9 m |
| Clay County | 42 | 84 | $2.8 m |
| Saline County | 37 | 99 | $1.8 m |
| Johnson County | 27 | 45 | $2.0 m |
Households arriving report $4,967 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 Jackson 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$1.16 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.13 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.6 percent
- GDP change over five years25.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Missouri areas BEA publishes43rd of 115
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1721st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$34,957
Output grew 2.6 percent in the latest year and 25.7 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 average8,809
- Establishments reporting942
- Average annual pay$44,138
- Average weekly wage$849
- Manufacturing, employment1,196
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$50,359
- Retail trade, employment1,008
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,849
- Accommodation and food services, employment723
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,565
- Construction, employment602
- Construction, average annual pay$53,943
- Transportation and warehousing, employment310
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment290
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,196 | 41 | $50,359 |
| Retail trade | 1,008 | 109 | $31,849 |
| Accommodation and food services | 723 | 69 | $18,565 |
| Construction | 602 | 105 | $53,943 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 310 | 35 | $53,457 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 290 | 58 | $72,854 |
| Finance and insurance | 249 | 52 | $68,766 |
| Other services, except public administration | 211 | 50 | $39,754 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,196 jobs, 13.6 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 industries732
- Employment at those establishments6,755
- Annual payroll$294.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.1
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.
Lafayette County
Building permits in Lafayette County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024121
- Declared construction value permitted$33.5 m
- Single family units authorized91
- Multifamily units authorized30
- Multifamily share of units24.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$276,697
- Units authorized per 1,000 households9.6
Single-family homes are 75.2 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 recorded29
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$8.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$294,321
- Median 7(a) approval$145,000
- 10th percentile approval$23,700
- 90th percentile approval$923,800
- Largest single approval$1,375,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)137
- Jobs per approval4.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active12
- Distinct industries receiving approvals20
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer24.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms7
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter22
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals10.3 percent
- Most active lenderThe Central Trust Bank (10)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$513,000
- Average 504 approval$513,000
- Median 504 approval$513,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval6.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.7
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$9.0 m
The average approval of $294,321 sits well above the median of $145,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 24.1 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 recorded10
- Paid in full10
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Paid in full10
- Status: Exempt from disclosure14
Only 10 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 lending6
- Odessa, approvals8
- Higginsville, approvals7
- Concordia, approvals7
- Lexington, approvals3
- Bates City, approvals3
- Napoleon, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Odessa | 8 | $1,330,300 |
| Higginsville | 7 | $3,603,000 |
| Concordia | 7 | $1,067,500 |
| Lexington | 3 | $1,889,000 |
| Bates City | 3 | $495,500 |
| Napoleon | 1 | $150,000 |
Odessa accounts for 8 approvals against 7 in Higginsville. 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 area628 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Missouri counties47th of 115
- Width, east to west34.2 mi
- Height, north to south26.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land53
- Establishments per square mile1.17
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 290812
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book13
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate69.2 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Lafayette 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 Lafayette County (community 290812), 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 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. 69.2 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 2020-202433,115
- Households12,576
- Average household size2.63
- Median household income$80,612
- Median age40.9
Common questions
Lafayette County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lafayette County, Missouri?
The Census Bureau estimates 33,511 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 33,115, in 12,576 households, ranking 35th of 115 Missouri 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 1.62 percent since the 2020 census base of 32,977, to 33,511 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 382 births against 423 deaths, with net migration of 309. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lafayette County?
$80,612. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $216,500, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $928 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Lafayette County?
732 establishments, employing 6,755 people with an annual payroll of $294.7 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?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,196 jobs, 13.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 8,809 jobs at an average annual pay of $44,138, or $849 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?
29 7(a) approvals totaling $8.5 m since FY2020, across 12 lenders, with a median approval of $145,000, plus 1 504 approvals worth $513,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Lafayette County?
121 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $33.5 m. Multifamily was 24.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lafayette 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 Lafayette County come from?
The largest single origin is Jackson County, with 394 households. Arriving households report an average income of $54,485 against $49,518 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.
17 Census places lie wholly or partly in Lafayette County. All 17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Grove | city | 8,538 | None recorded | 6.0 percent here, 94.0 percent Jackson County |
| Odessa | city | 5,620 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Higginsville | city | 4,781 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Lexington | city | 4,606 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Concordia | city | 2,332 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Waverly | city | 901 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Alma | city | 450 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Corder | city | 442 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wellington | city | 432 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mayview | city | 301 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Emma | city | 270 | None recorded | 57.0 percent here, 43.0 percent Saline County |
| Blackburn | city | 240 | None recorded | 20.4 percent here, 79.6 percent Saline County |
| Lake Lafayette | city | 237 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Napoleon | city | 201 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Bates City | city | 162 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Dover | town | 136 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Aullville | village | 109 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby