Vernon County, Missouri: commercial real estate data.
Vernon County, Missouri had an estimated 19,787 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 19,712, across 826 square miles. County output reached $1.14 bn in 2024, 436 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 22 7(a) approvals worth $8.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Vernon County
How many people live in Vernon County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202419,687
- Households7,754
- Average household size2.54
- Median household income$52,230
- Median age41.9
- Median gross rent$734 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$158,800
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher16.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over13,386
- Population under 184,694
- Share under 1823.8 percent
- Population 65 and over4,048
- Share 65 and over20.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6410,945
- Civilian labor force8,856
- Unemployment rate4.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.1 percent
- Rank by population among Missouri counties56th of 115
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1904th of 3,222
Vernon County is the 56th 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 23.8 percent against 20.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Vernon County
Is Vernon County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202419,787
- Census 2020 base population19,712
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.38 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202419
- Births, 2024223
- Deaths, 2024307
- Natural change, 2024-84
- Net domestic migration, 202429
- Net international migration, 202472
- Total net migration, 2024101
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024298
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1686th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.38 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.
Vernon County
Where are people moving to Vernon County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving479
- People arriving, from those returns966
- Tax returns filed by households leaving436
- Net household movement43
- Adjusted gross income arriving$23.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$5.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$49,797
- Average income of a leaving household$41,339
- Largest single originCedar County (49 households)
- Largest single destinationCedar County (53 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar County | 49 | 109 | $1.8 m |
| Bates County | 40 | 81 | $1.7 m |
| Jackson County | 28 | 58 | $1.3 m |
| Jasper County | 26 | 47 | $839,000 |
| Greene County | 24 | 47 | $927,000 |
| Barton County | 20 | 35 | $745,000 |
Households arriving report $8,458 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 Cedar 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.
Vernon County
What is the Vernon County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.14 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.13 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.6 percent
- GDP change over five years37.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Missouri areas BEA publishes45th of 115
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1740th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$57,804
Output grew 0.6 percent in the latest year and 37.1 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.
Vernon County
Employment by industry in Vernon County
- Covered employment, annual average6,582
- Establishments reporting724
- Average annual pay$46,600
- Average weekly wage$896
- Manufacturing, employment937
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$75,652
- Retail trade, employment806
- Retail trade, average annual pay$28,869
- Transportation and warehousing, employment268
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$56,337
- Construction, employment226
- Construction, average annual pay$57,456
- Other services, except public administration, employment157
- Finance and insurance, employment149
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 937 | 22 | $75,652 |
| Retail trade | 806 | 62 | $28,869 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 268 | 24 | $56,337 |
| Construction | 226 | 52 | $57,456 |
| Other services, except public administration | 157 | 28 | $26,133 |
| Finance and insurance | 149 | 29 | $63,748 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 102 | 32 | $55,402 |
| Information | 48 | 6 | $34,961 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 937 jobs, 14.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Vernon County
How many businesses are in Vernon County?
- Establishments, all industries436
- Employment at those establishments5,612
- Annual payroll$239.7 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.
Vernon County
Building permits in Vernon County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202457
- Declared construction value permitted$9.1 m
- Single family units authorized13
- Multifamily units authorized44
- Multifamily share of units77.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$160,194
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.4
Multifamily is 77.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Vernon County
SBA loans in Vernon County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded22
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$8.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$373,923
- Median 7(a) approval$175,000
- 10th percentile approval$54,880
- 90th percentile approval$875,750
- Largest single approval$2,286,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)120
- Jobs per approval5.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals16
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer9.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter18
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$803,000
- Average 504 approval$401,500
- Median 504 approval$401,500
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval10.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved24.9
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$9.0 m
The average approval of $373,923 sits well above the median of $175,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 9.1 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.
Vernon County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Vernon County
Do SBA loans in Vernon County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Exempt from disclosure15
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 5 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.
Vernon County
SBA lending by place in Vernon County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Nevada, approvals17
- Sheldon, approvals4
- El Dorado Springs, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 17 | $6,327,700 |
| Sheldon | 4 | $1,816,000 |
| El Dorado Springs | 1 | $82,600 |
Nevada accounts for 17 approvals against 4 in Sheldon. 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.
Vernon County
How large is Vernon County?
- Land area826 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Missouri counties9th of 115
- Width, east to west30.6 mi
- Height, north to south29 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land24
- Establishments per square mile0.53
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.
Vernon County
Flood risk in Vernon County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Vernon County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 290841
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate50.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Vernon 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 Vernon County (community 290841), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Vernon 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. 50.0 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 Vernon 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 Vernon County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202419,687
- Households7,754
- Average household size2.54
- Median household income$52,230
- Median age41.9
Common questions
Vernon County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Vernon County, Missouri?
The Census Bureau estimates 19,787 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 19,687, in 7,754 households, ranking 56th of 115 Missouri counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Vernon County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.38 percent since the 2020 census base of 19,712, to 19,787 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 223 births against 307 deaths, with net migration of 101. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Vernon County?
$52,230. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $158,800, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $734 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Vernon County?
436 establishments, employing 5,612 people with an annual payroll of $239.7 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 Vernon County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 937 jobs, 14.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 6,582 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,600, or $896 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Vernon County?
22 7(a) approvals totaling $8.2 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $175,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $803,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Vernon County?
57 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $9.1 m. Multifamily was 77.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Vernon 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 Vernon County come from?
The largest single origin is Cedar County, with 49 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,797 against $41,339 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Vernon 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 Vernon 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.
Vernon County
Cities and places in Vernon.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Vernon County. All 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | city | 7,925 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Sheldon | city | 443 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Walker | city | 359 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Schell City | city | 224 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bronaugh | city | 163 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Moundville | town | 98 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Richards | town | 49 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Milo | village | 47 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Deerfield | village | 43 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Metz | town | 7 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Harwood | village | 6 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Stotesbury | town | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 22 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Vernon County, the largest being El Dorado Springs (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.