HomeNorth CarolinaHarnett County
Harnett County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Harnett County, North Carolina had an estimated 146,096 residents on July 1, 2024, up 9.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 133,556, across 595 square miles. County output reached $3.97 bn in 2024, 1,960 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 65 7(a) approvals worth $41.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Harnett County
How many people live in Harnett County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024139,150
- Households49,845
- Average household size2.79
- Median household income$71,287
- Median age35.6
- Median gross rent$1,112 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$246,200
- Home value to household income3.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over92,116
- Population under 1835,394
- Share under 1825.4 percent
- Population 65 and over19,073
- Share 65 and over13.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6484,683
- Civilian labor force59,664
- Unemployment rate4.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over57.5 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties23rd of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included480th of 3,222
Harnett County is the 23rd largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.5 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.4 percent against 13.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Harnett County
Is Harnett County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024146,096
- Census 2020 base population133,556
- Population change since the 2020 census base9.39 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20244,304
- Births, 20241,822
- Deaths, 20241,256
- Natural change, 2024566
- Net domestic migration, 20243,343
- Net international migration, 2024393
- Total net migration, 20243,736
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20249,097
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents166th of 3,144
The county has grown 9.39 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.
Harnett County
Where are people moving to Harnett County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving6,368
- People arriving, from those returns13,855
- Tax returns filed by households leaving5,313
- Net household movement1,055
- Adjusted gross income arriving$411.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$115.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$64,551
- Average income of a leaving household$55,621
- Largest single originWake County (1,280 households)
- Largest single destinationCumberland County (791 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake County | 1,280 | 2,561 | $116.7 m |
| Cumberland County | 840 | 1,835 | $42.9 m |
| Johnston County | 377 | 764 | $17.6 m |
| Lee County | 360 | 793 | $16.4 m |
| Foreign - APO/FPO ZIPs | 124 | 383 | $9.3 m |
| Sampson County | 108 | 218 | $4.4 m |
| Moore County | 102 | 219 | $5.2 m |
| Durham County | 89 | 161 | $5.8 m |
Households arriving report $8,930 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 Wake 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.
Harnett County
What is the Harnett County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.97 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.72 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.5 percent
- GDP change over five years41.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes34th of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes814th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$28,495
Output grew 6.5 percent in the latest year and 41.5 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.
Harnett County
Employment by industry in Harnett County
- Covered employment, annual average28,081
- Establishments reporting2,384
- Average annual pay$46,955
- Average weekly wage$903
- Retail trade, employment4,958
- Retail trade, average annual pay$37,026
- Accommodation and food services, employment3,251
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,883
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,757
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$43,822
- Construction, employment2,366
- Construction, average annual pay$61,437
- Educational services, employment1,789
- Manufacturing, employment1,770
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 4,958 | 306 | $37,026 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,251 | 181 | $19,883 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,757 | 228 | $43,822 |
| Construction | 2,366 | 374 | $61,437 |
| Educational services | 1,789 | 31 | $48,501 |
| Manufacturing | 1,770 | 70 | $56,762 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,314 | 171 | $44,531 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,180 | 84 | $45,201 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 4,958 jobs, 17.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Harnett County
How many businesses are in Harnett County?
- Establishments, all industries1,960
- Employment at those establishments24,279
- Annual payroll$987.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents14.1
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.
Harnett County
Building permits in Harnett County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20242,231
- Declared construction value permitted$687.1 m
- Single family units authorized2,219
- Multifamily units authorized12
- Multifamily share of units0.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$307,974
- Units authorized per 1,000 households44.8
Single-family homes are 99.5 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Harnett County
SBA loans in Harnett County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded65
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$41.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$638,552
- Median 7(a) approval$204,000
- 10th percentile approval$30,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,152,840
- Largest single approval$4,022,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,083
- Jobs per approval16.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active36
- Distinct industries receiving approvals45
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer20.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms13
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter49
- Franchise loans14
- Franchise share of approvals21.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (6)
- Most active lenderNortheast Bank (5)
- 504 approvals recorded12
- 504 gross approval dollars$12.8 m
- Average 504 approval$1,065,917
- Median 504 approval$904,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval11.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.6
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (9)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$54.3 m
The average approval of $638,552 sits well above the median of $204,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 20.0 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.
Harnett County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Harnett County
Do SBA loans in Harnett County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded10
- Paid in full10
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full10
- Status: Exempt from disclosure39
- Status: Cancelled12
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
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.
Harnett County
SBA lending by place in Harnett County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending11
- Dunn, approvals17
- Lillington, approvals12
- Angier, approvals11
- Cameron, approvals7
- Spring Lake, approvals5
- Sanford, approvals4
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Dunn | 17 | $17,068,000 |
| Lillington | 12 | $2,814,600 |
| Angier | 11 | $10,607,500 |
| Cameron | 7 | $4,661,500 |
| Spring Lake | 5 | $1,270,000 |
| Sanford | 4 | $734,000 |
| Fuquay Varina | 3 | $2,811,500 |
| Erwin | 2 | $841,500 |
| 3 other borrower cities | 4 | $697,300 |
Dunn accounts for 17 approvals against 12 in Lillington. 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.
Harnett County
How large is Harnett County?
- Land area595 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties25th of 100
- Width, east to west39.1 mi
- Height, north to south27 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land234
- Establishments per square mile3.29
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.
Harnett County
Flood risk in Harnett County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Harnett County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 370328
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Harnett 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 Harnett County (community 370328), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Harnett 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. 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 Harnett 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 Harnett County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024139,150
- Households49,845
- Average household size2.79
- Median household income$71,287
- Median age35.6
Common questions
Harnett County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Harnett County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 146,096 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 139,150, in 49,845 households, ranking 23rd of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Harnett County's population growing?
The population has grown 9.39 percent since the 2020 census base of 133,556, to 146,096 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,822 births against 1,256 deaths, with net migration of 3,736. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Harnett County?
$71,287. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $246,200, which is 3.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,112 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Harnett County?
1,960 establishments, employing 24,279 people with an annual payroll of $987.5 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 Harnett County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 4,958 jobs, 17.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 28,081 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,955, or $903 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Harnett County?
65 7(a) approvals totaling $41.5 m since FY2020, across 36 lenders, with a median approval of $204,000, plus 12 504 approvals worth $12.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Harnett County?
2,231 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $687.1 m. Multifamily was 0.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Harnett 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 Harnett County come from?
The largest single origin is Wake County, with 1,280 households. Arriving households report an average income of $64,551 against $55,621 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Harnett 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 Harnett 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.
Harnett County
Cities and places in Harnett.
11 Census places lie wholly or partly in Harnett County. All 11 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 Creek | CDP | 13,927 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Spout Springs | CDP | 11,242 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dunn | city | 8,559 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Angier | town | 6,241 | 11 | 79.8 percent here, 20.2 percent Wake County |
| Barbecue | CDP | 5,910 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lillington | town | 4,709 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Erwin | town | 4,687 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Buies Creek | CDP | 3,746 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Coats | town | 1,664 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bunnlevel | CDP | 844 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Mamers | CDP | 669 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 21 of the county's 65 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Harnett County, the largest being Cameron (7), Spring Lake (5), Sanford (4). 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.