McDonald County, Missouri: commercial real estate data.
McDonald County, Missouri had an estimated 24,054 residents on July 1, 2024, up 3.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 23,298, across 539 square miles. County output reached $981.3 m in 2024, 312 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 15 7(a) approvals worth $8.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
McDonald County
How many people live in McDonald County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202423,701
- Households8,558
- Average household size2.77
- Median household income$52,375
- Median age38.2
- Median gross rent$767 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$154,700
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher12.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree3.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over15,769
- Population under 186,037
- Share under 1825.5 percent
- Population 65 and over3,687
- Share 65 and over15.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6413,977
- Civilian labor force10,390
- Unemployment rate6.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.8 percent
- Rank by population among Missouri counties46th of 115
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1705th of 3,222
McDonald County is the 46th largest of 115 Missouri counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.5 percent against 15.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
McDonald County
Is McDonald County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202424,054
- Census 2020 base population23,298
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.24 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-63
- Births, 2024326
- Deaths, 2024313
- Natural change, 202413
- Net domestic migration, 2024-422
- Net international migration, 2024350
- Total net migration, 2024-72
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-141
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents821st of 3,144
The county has grown 3.24 percent since the 2020 census base. More people left than moved in during 2024 and births over deaths did not make up the difference, so the population fell.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
McDonald County
Where are people moving to McDonald County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving746
- People arriving, from those returns1,509
- Tax returns filed by households leaving663
- Net household movement83
- Adjusted gross income arriving$33.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$7.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$44,651
- Average income of a leaving household$38,306
- Largest single originBenton County (219 households)
- Largest single destinationNewton County (135 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | 219 | 443 | $11.9 m |
| Newton County | 120 | 256 | $4.9 m |
| Jasper County | 47 | 109 | $1.8 m |
| Washington County | 46 | 89 | $1.7 m |
| Delaware County | 29 | 54 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $6,345 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 Benton 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.
McDonald County
What is the McDonald County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$981.3 m
- County GDP, 2023$992.1 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-1.1 percent
- GDP change over five years29.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Missouri areas BEA publishes51st of 115
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1863rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$41,405
Output grew -1.1 percent in the latest year and 29.6 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.
McDonald County
Employment by industry in McDonald County
- Covered employment, annual average5,686
- Establishments reporting458
- Average annual pay$44,246
- Average weekly wage$851
- Manufacturing, employment1,698
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$52,530
- Retail trade, employment937
- Retail trade, average annual pay$27,822
- Construction, employment392
- Construction, average annual pay$48,376
- Accommodation and food services, employment341
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,139
- Health care and social assistance, employment331
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment276
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,698 | 23 | $52,530 |
| Retail trade | 937 | 60 | $27,822 |
| Construction | 392 | 50 | $48,376 |
| Accommodation and food services | 341 | 28 | $18,139 |
| Health care and social assistance | 331 | 115 | $37,554 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 276 | 16 | $52,198 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 230 | 22 | $56,272 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 168 | 9 | $46,769 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,698 jobs, 29.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
McDonald County
How many businesses are in McDonald County?
- Establishments, all industries312
- Employment at those establishments5,178
- Annual payroll$215.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents13.2
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.
McDonald County
Building permits in McDonald County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202421
- Declared construction value permitted$4.1 m
- Single family units authorized21
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$195,093
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.5
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
McDonald County
SBA loans in McDonald County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded15
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$8.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$560,467
- Median 7(a) approval$332,000
- Largest single approval$2,185,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)111
- Jobs per approval7.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active11
- Distinct industries receiving approvals10
- Median 7(a) term180 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer33.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals13.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countBroilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (4)
- Most active lenderFirst Financial Bank (3)
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
McDonald County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in McDonald County
Do SBA loans in McDonald County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure10
- Status: Cancelled1
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.
McDonald County
SBA lending by place in McDonald County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Anderson, approvals8
- Rocky Comfort, approvals3
- Pineville, approvals2
- Noel, approvals1
- Jane, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Anderson | 8 | $5,358,000 |
| Rocky Comfort | 3 | $1,275,000 |
| Pineville | 2 | $730,000 |
| Noel | 1 | $894,000 |
| Jane | 1 | $150,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
McDonald County
How large is McDonald County?
- Land area539 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Missouri counties71st of 115
- Width, east to west30.5 mi
- Height, north to south18.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land44
- Establishments per square mile0.58
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.
McDonald County
Flood risk in McDonald County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community McDonald County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 290817
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate87.5 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in McDonald 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 McDonald County (community 290817), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places McDonald 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. 87.5 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 McDonald 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 McDonald County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202423,701
- Households8,558
- Average household size2.77
- Median household income$52,375
- Median age38.2
Common questions
McDonald County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in McDonald County, Missouri?
The Census Bureau estimates 24,054 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 23,701, in 8,558 households, ranking 46th of 115 Missouri counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is McDonald County's population growing?
The population has grown 3.24 percent since the 2020 census base of 23,298, to 24,054 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 326 births against 313 deaths, with net migration of -72. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in McDonald County?
$52,375. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $154,700, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $767 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in McDonald County?
312 establishments, employing 5,178 people with an annual payroll of $215.4 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 McDonald County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,698 jobs, 29.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,686 jobs at an average annual pay of $44,246, or $851 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in McDonald County?
15 7(a) approvals totaling $8.4 m since FY2020, across 11 lenders, with a median approval of $332,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in McDonald County?
21 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $4.1 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for McDonald 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 McDonald County come from?
The largest single origin is Benton County, with 219 households. Arriving households report an average income of $44,651 against $38,306 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for McDonald 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 McDonald 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.
McDonald County
Cities and places in McDonald.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in McDonald County. All 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson | city | 2,685 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Noel | city | 1,913 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Goodman | city | 1,092 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Southwest City | town | 992 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pineville | city | 736 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Lanagan | town | 483 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jane | town | 292 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Rocky Comfort | CDP | 253 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Ginger Blue | village | 117 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby