HomeNorth CarolinaLee County
Lee County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Lee County, North Carolina had an estimated 68,537 residents on July 1, 2024, up 8.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 63,286, across 255 square miles. County output reached $4.26 bn in 2024, 1,460 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 52 7(a) approvals worth $41.5 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 2020-202465,816
- Households25,145
- Average household size2.62
- Median household income$65,387
- Median age39.5
- Median gross rent$1,017 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$240,200
- Home value to household income3.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over44,766
- Population under 1815,587
- Share under 1823.7 percent
- Population 65 and over11,283
- Share 65 and over17.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6438,946
- Civilian labor force31,422
- Unemployment rate3.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.6 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties41st of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included834th of 3,222
Lee County is the 41st largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.7 percent against 17.1 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, 202468,537
- Census 2020 base population63,286
- Population change since the 2020 census base8.30 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20241,116
- Births, 2024799
- Deaths, 2024705
- Natural change, 202494
- Net domestic migration, 2024494
- Net international migration, 2024522
- Total net migration, 20241,016
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20243,596
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents222nd of 3,144
The county has grown 8.30 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.
Lee County
Where are people moving to Lee County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,535
- People arriving, from those returns4,688
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,872
- Net household movement663
- Adjusted gross income arriving$206.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$92.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$81,452
- Average income of a leaving household$60,738
- Largest single originWake County (412 households)
- Largest single destinationHarnett County (360 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake County | 412 | 696 | $26.7 m |
| Harnett County | 330 | 703 | $14.3 m |
| Chatham County | 167 | 321 | $8.5 m |
| Cumberland County | 128 | 237 | $5.6 m |
| Moore County | 114 | 194 | $6.1 m |
| Durham County | 71 | 118 | $5.0 m |
| Johnston County | 41 | 75 | $2.2 m |
| Guilford County | 33 | 64 | $2.2 m |
Households arriving report $20,714 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.
Lee County
What is the Lee County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$4.26 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.77 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 202413.2 percent
- GDP change over five years46.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes33rd of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes777th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$64,746
Output grew 13.2 percent in the latest year and 46.6 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.
Lee County
Employment by industry in Lee County
- Covered employment, annual average27,674
- Establishments reporting1,866
- Average annual pay$58,075
- Average weekly wage$1,117
- Manufacturing, employment8,498
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$77,252
- Retail trade, employment3,246
- Retail trade, average annual pay$37,615
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,594
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$50,867
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,364
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,911
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment1,588
- Construction, employment1,388
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,498 | 81 | $77,252 |
| Retail trade | 3,246 | 267 | $37,615 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,594 | 198 | $50,867 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,364 | 143 | $20,911 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,588 | 132 | $53,247 |
| Construction | 1,388 | 211 | $58,715 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,274 | 90 | $67,528 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 857 | 193 | $79,448 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 8,498 jobs, 30.7 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 industries1,460
- Employment at those establishments25,852
- Annual payroll$1.38 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.2
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.
Lee County
Building permits in Lee County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024602
- Declared construction value permitted$124.8 m
- Single family units authorized602
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$207,233
- Units authorized per 1,000 households23.9
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.
Lee County
SBA loans in Lee County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded52
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$41.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$798,306
- Median 7(a) approval$437,500
- 10th percentile approval$27,500
- 90th percentile approval$1,879,600
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)484
- Jobs per approval9.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active27
- Distinct industries receiving approvals38
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer21.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms11
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter32
- Franchise loans9
- Franchise share of approvals17.3 percent
- Most active lenderLive Oak Banking Company (8)
- 504 approvals recorded8
- 504 gross approval dollars$5.8 m
- Average 504 approval$725,500
- Median 504 approval$534,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval9.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved13.3
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (7)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$47.3 m
The average approval of $798,306 sits well above the median of $437,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 21.2 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 recorded7
- Paid in full7
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Paid in full7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure35
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed5
Only 7 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 lending4
- Sanford, approvals47
- Broadway, approvals3
- Cary, approvals1
- Chapel Hill, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Sanford | 47 | $37,309,900 |
| Broadway | 3 | $3,589,000 |
| Cary | 1 | $463,000 |
| Chapel Hill | 1 | $150,000 |
Sanford accounts for 47 approvals against 3 in Broadway. 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 area255 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties89th of 100
- Width, east to west21.4 mi
- Height, north to south22.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land258
- Establishments per square mile5.73
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 370331
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Lee 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 Lee County (community 370331), 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 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 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 2020-202465,816
- Households25,145
- Average household size2.62
- Median household income$65,387
- Median age39.5
Common questions
Lee County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lee County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 68,537 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 65,816, in 25,145 households, ranking 41st of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lee County's population growing?
The population has grown 8.30 percent since the 2020 census base of 63,286, to 68,537 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 799 births against 705 deaths, with net migration of 1,016. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lee County?
$65,387. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $240,200, which is 3.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,017 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Lee County?
1,460 establishments, employing 25,852 people with an annual payroll of $1.38 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 8,498 jobs, 30.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 27,674 jobs at an average annual pay of $58,075, or $1,117 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?
52 7(a) approvals totaling $41.5 m since FY2020, across 27 lenders, with a median approval of $437,500, plus 8 504 approvals worth $5.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Lee County?
602 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $124.8 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lee 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 Lee County come from?
The largest single origin is Wake County, with 412 households. Arriving households report an average income of $81,452 against $60,738 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.
2 Census places lie wholly or partly in Lee County. All 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford | city | 31,478 | 47 | Wholly in this county |
| Broadway | town | 1,657 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 52 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Lee County, the largest being Cary (1), Chapel Hill (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.