HomeNorth CarolinaRichmond County
Richmond County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Richmond County, North Carolina had an estimated 41,990 residents on July 1, 2024, down 2.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 42,943, across 474 square miles. County output reached $2.62 bn in 2024, 814 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 30 7(a) approvals worth $34.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Richmond County
How many people live in Richmond County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202442,344
- Households17,026
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$44,883
- Median age40.5
- Median gross rent$724 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$127,800
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher16.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over28,881
- Population under 189,943
- Share under 1823.5 percent
- Population 65 and over7,670
- Share 65 and over18.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6424,731
- Civilian labor force19,253
- Unemployment rate9.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.4 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties60th of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1162nd of 3,222
Richmond County is the 60th largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.5 percent against 18.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Richmond County
Is Richmond County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202441,990
- Census 2020 base population42,943
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.22 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-13
- Births, 2024533
- Deaths, 2024634
- Natural change, 2024-101
- Net domestic migration, 202491
- Net international migration, 2024-4
- Total net migration, 202487
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-103
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2554th of 3,144
The county has lost 2.22 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Richmond County
Where are people moving to Richmond County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving749
- People arriving, from those returns1,403
- Tax returns filed by households leaving773
- Net household movement-24
- Adjusted gross income arriving$29.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$541,000
- Average income of an arriving household$39,219
- Average income of a leaving household$37,301
- Largest single originMoore County (70 households)
- Largest single destinationMoore County (65 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moore County | 70 | 151 | $3.0 m |
| Anson County | 53 | 103 | $1.6 m |
| Scotland County | 48 | 95 | $1.8 m |
| Mecklenburg County | 37 | 68 | $1.3 m |
| Cumberland County | 29 | 46 | $761,000 |
| Montgomery County | 27 | 49 | $965,000 |
| Wake County | 24 | 41 | $1.1 m |
| Guilford County | 22 | 41 | $567,000 |
Households arriving report $1,918 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 Moore 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.
Richmond County
What is the Richmond County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.62 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.55 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.8 percent
- GDP change over five years33.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes49th of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1079th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$61,851
Output grew 2.8 percent in the latest year and 33.4 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.
Richmond County
Employment by industry in Richmond County
- Covered employment, annual average14,036
- Establishments reporting928
- Average annual pay$46,814
- Average weekly wage$900
- Manufacturing, employment3,411
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$51,041
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,046
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$50,340
- Retail trade, employment1,894
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,456
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,086
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$16,132
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment557
- Construction, employment433
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,411 | 41 | $51,041 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,046 | 112 | $50,340 |
| Retail trade | 1,894 | 174 | $30,456 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,086 | 86 | $16,132 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 557 | 48 | $59,038 |
| Construction | 433 | 82 | $63,523 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 226 | 32 | $32,832 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 188 | 31 | $39,338 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,411 jobs, 24.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Richmond County
How many businesses are in Richmond County?
- Establishments, all industries814
- Employment at those establishments12,523
- Annual payroll$564.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.2
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.
Richmond County
Building permits in Richmond County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202458
- Declared construction value permitted$16.2 m
- Single family units authorized56
- Multifamily units authorized2
- Multifamily share of units3.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$280,102
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.4
Single-family homes are 96.6 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Richmond County
SBA loans in Richmond County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded30
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$34.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,162,293
- Median 7(a) approval$755,000
- 10th percentile approval$24,500
- 90th percentile approval$2,809,200
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)150
- Jobs per approval5.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active12
- Distinct industries receiving approvals14
- Median 7(a) term168 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer33.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms10
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter10
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals16.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countBroilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (13)
- Most active lenderFirst Financial Bank (10)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$436,000
- Average 504 approval$436,000
- Median 504 approval$436,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval2.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved4.6
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$35.3 m
The average approval of $1,162,293 sits well above the median of $755,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 33.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
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.
Richmond County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Richmond County
Do SBA loans in Richmond County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure23
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
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.
Richmond County
SBA lending by place in Richmond County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Rockingham, approvals18
- Ellerbe, approvals5
- Mount Gilead, approvals3
- Marston, approvals2
- Norman, approvals1
- Hamlet, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Rockingham | 18 | $23,952,800 |
| Ellerbe | 5 | $5,699,000 |
| Mount Gilead | 3 | $2,287,000 |
| Marston | 2 | $857,000 |
| Norman | 1 | $2,063,000 |
| Hamlet | 1 | $10,000 |
Rockingham accounts for 18 approvals against 5 in Ellerbe. 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.
Richmond County
How large is Richmond County?
- Land area474 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties47th of 100
- Width, east to west34.9 mi
- Height, north to south26.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land89
- Establishments per square mile1.72
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.
Richmond County
Flood risk in Richmond County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Richmond County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 370348
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate75.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Richmond 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 Richmond County (community 370348), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Richmond 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. 75.0 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 Richmond 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 Richmond County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202442,344
- Households17,026
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$44,883
- Median age40.5
Common questions
Richmond County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Richmond County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 41,990 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 42,344, in 17,026 households, ranking 60th of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Richmond County's population growing?
The population has fallen 2.22 percent since the 2020 census base of 42,943, to 41,990 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 533 births against 634 deaths, with net migration of 87. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Richmond County?
$44,883. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $127,800, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $724 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Richmond County?
814 establishments, employing 12,523 people with an annual payroll of $564.4 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 Richmond County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,411 jobs, 24.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 14,036 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,814, or $900 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Richmond County?
30 7(a) approvals totaling $34.9 m since FY2020, across 12 lenders, with a median approval of $755,000, plus 1 504 approvals worth $436,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Richmond County?
58 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $16.2 m. Multifamily was 3.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Richmond 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 Richmond County come from?
The largest single origin is Moore County, with 70 households. Arriving households report an average income of $39,219 against $37,301 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Richmond 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 Richmond 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.
Richmond County
Cities and places in Richmond.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Richmond 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockingham | city | 8,967 | 18 | Wholly in this county |
| Hamlet | city | 5,961 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| East Rockingham | CDP | 2,779 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cordova | CDP | 1,372 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ellerbe | town | 1,036 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Hoffman | town | 821 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dobbins Heights | town | 560 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Roberdel | CDP | 279 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Norman | town | 89 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
A further 5 of the county's 30 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Richmond County, the largest being Mount Gilead (3), Marston (2). 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.