Fairfield County, Ohio: commercial real estate data.
Fairfield County, Ohio had an estimated 167,762 residents on July 1, 2024, up 5.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 158,920, across 504 square miles. County output reached $6.85 bn in 2024, 2,846 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 287 7(a) approvals worth $95.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Fairfield County
How many people live in Fairfield County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024163,453
- Households60,357
- Average household size2.71
- Median household income$90,966
- Median age39.5
- Median gross rent$1,172 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$298,800
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher32.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over111,346
- Population under 1838,976
- Share under 1823.8 percent
- Population 65 and over27,165
- Share 65 and over16.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6497,312
- Civilian labor force82,599
- Unemployment rate3.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over66.4 percent
- Rank by population among Ohio counties19th of 88
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included423rd of 3,222
Fairfield County is the 19th largest of 88 Ohio counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.8 percent against 16.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Fairfield County
Is Fairfield County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024167,762
- Census 2020 base population158,920
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.56 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20242,132
- Births, 20241,680
- Deaths, 20241,601
- Natural change, 202479
- Net domestic migration, 20241,579
- Net international migration, 2024492
- Total net migration, 20242,071
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20246,951
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents468th of 3,144
The county has grown 5.56 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.
Fairfield County
Where are people moving to Fairfield County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving5,461
- People arriving, from those returns10,402
- Tax returns filed by households leaving4,913
- Net household movement548
- Adjusted gross income arriving$329.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$7.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$60,241
- Average income of a leaving household$65,381
- Largest single originFranklin County (2,640 households)
- Largest single destinationFranklin County (2,059 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 2,640 | 5,153 | $155.2 m |
| Licking County | 460 | 847 | $28.5 m |
| Hocking County | 169 | 284 | $7.6 m |
| Perry County | 146 | 263 | $7.0 m |
| Pickaway County | 145 | 280 | $7.3 m |
| Delaware County | 87 | 154 | $6.3 m |
| Athens County | 65 | 111 | $2.1 m |
| Ross County | 54 | 92 | $2.8 m |
Households arriving report $5,140 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Franklin 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.
Fairfield County
What is the Fairfield County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$6.85 bn
- County GDP, 2023$6.50 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.3 percent
- GDP change over five years38.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Ohio areas BEA publishes24th of 88
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes596th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$41,903
Output grew 5.3 percent in the latest year and 38.3 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.
Fairfield County
Employment by industry in Fairfield County
- Covered employment, annual average47,292
- Establishments reporting3,510
- Average annual pay$52,628
- Average weekly wage$1,012
- Health care and social assistance, employment8,468
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$61,990
- Retail trade, employment6,671
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,714
- Accommodation and food services, employment6,492
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,444
- Manufacturing, employment4,446
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$67,794
- Construction, employment3,308
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment2,911
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 8,468 | 437 | $61,990 |
| Retail trade | 6,671 | 372 | $32,714 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,492 | 290 | $21,444 |
| Manufacturing | 4,446 | 112 | $67,794 |
| Construction | 3,308 | 389 | $74,084 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 2,911 | 232 | $47,857 |
| Other services, except public administration | 1,641 | 251 | $45,718 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,406 | 404 | $72,795 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 8,468 jobs, 17.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Fairfield County
How many businesses are in Fairfield County?
- Establishments, all industries2,846
- Employment at those establishments41,284
- Annual payroll$1.96 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.4
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.
Fairfield County
Building permits in Fairfield County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024464
- Declared construction value permitted$178.8 m
- Single family units authorized452
- Multifamily units authorized12
- Multifamily share of units2.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$385,240
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.7
Single-family homes are 97.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Fairfield County
SBA loans in Fairfield County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded287
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$95.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$333,890
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$750,600
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,135
- Jobs per approval7.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active39
- Distinct industries receiving approvals115
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer7.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms22
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter255
- Franchise loans32
- Franchise share of approvals11.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (16)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (133)
- 504 approvals recorded36
- 504 gross approval dollars$21.5 m
- Average 504 approval$598,444
- Median 504 approval$266,500
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval8.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.6
- Most active CDCOhio Statewide Development Corporation (28)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$117.4 m
The average approval of $333,890 sits well above the median of $100,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 7.7 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.
Fairfield County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Fairfield County
Do SBA loans in Fairfield County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded57
- Paid in full55
- Charged off2
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans3.5 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure184
- Status: Paid in full55
- Status: Cancelled31
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed15
Of the 57 loans that have reached a final outcome, 3.5 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
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.
Fairfield County
SBA lending by place in Fairfield County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending19
- Pickerington, approvals113
- Lancaster, approvals84
- Baltimore, approvals23
- Carroll, approvals20
- Bremen, approvals7
- Pleasantville, approvals5
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Pickerington | 113 | $32,806,500 |
| Lancaster | 84 | $42,203,100 |
| Baltimore | 23 | $3,711,800 |
| Carroll | 20 | $5,725,000 |
| Bremen | 7 | $3,124,800 |
| Pleasantville | 5 | $468,100 |
| Lithopolis | 5 | $305,200 |
| Amanda | 4 | $1,241,300 |
| 11 other borrower cities | 26 | $6,240,500 |
Pickerington accounts for 113 approvals against 84 in Lancaster. 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.
Fairfield County
How large is Fairfield County?
- Land area504 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Ohio counties24th of 88
- Width, east to west24.9 mi
- Height, north to south26.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land324
- Establishments per square mile5.65
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.
Fairfield County
Flood risk in Fairfield County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Fairfield County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 390158
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book13
- Of those, participating in the NFIP12
- NFIP participation rate92.3 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Fairfield County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Fairfield County (community 390158), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Fairfield County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 92.3 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024163,453
- Households60,357
- Average household size2.71
- Median household income$90,966
- Median age39.5
Common questions
Fairfield County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Fairfield County, Ohio?
The Census Bureau estimates 167,762 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 163,453, in 60,357 households, ranking 19th of 88 Ohio counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Fairfield County's population growing?
The population has grown 5.56 percent since the 2020 census base of 158,920, to 167,762 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,680 births against 1,601 deaths, with net migration of 2,071. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Fairfield County?
$90,966. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $298,800, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $1,172 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Fairfield County?
2,846 establishments, employing 41,284 people with an annual payroll of $1.96 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 Fairfield County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 8,468 jobs, 17.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 47,292 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,628, or $1,012 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Fairfield County?
287 7(a) approvals totaling $95.8 m since FY2020, across 39 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 36 504 approvals worth $21.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Fairfield County get paid back?
Of the 57 loans that have reached a final outcome, 55 were paid in full and 2 charged off, a charge-off rate of 3.5 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Fairfield County?
464 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $178.8 m. Multifamily was 2.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Fairfield County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 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 Fairfield County come from?
The largest single origin is Franklin County, with 2,640 households. Arriving households report an average income of $60,241 against $65,381 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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.
Fairfield County
Cities and places in Fairfield.
20 Census places lie wholly or partly in Fairfield County. All 20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | city | 41,249 | 84 | Wholly in this county |
| Reynoldsburg | city | 41,224 | 4 | 7.7 percent here, 64.3 percent Franklin County, 28.0 percent Licking County |
| Pickerington | city | 24,477 | 113 | 96.8 percent here, 3.2 percent Franklin County |
| Canal Winchester | city | 10,170 | 4 | 25.9 percent here, 74.1 percent Franklin County |
| Baltimore | village | 3,050 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| Buckeye Lake | village | 2,525 | None recorded | 6.9 percent here, 93.1 percent Licking County |
| Lithopolis | village | 2,522 | 5 | 69.4 percent here, 30.6 percent Franklin County |
| Bremen | village | 2,001 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Fairfield Beach | CDP | 1,432 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pleasantville | village | 908 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Millersport | village | 838 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Stoutsville | village | 647 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Hide-A-Way Hills | CDP | 646 | None recorded | 29.6 percent here, 70.4 percent Hocking County |
| Thurston | village | 597 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Carroll | village | 595 | 20 | Wholly in this county |
| Amanda | village | 541 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Hamburg | CDP | 461 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sugar Grove | village | 402 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Rushville | village | 294 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| West Rushville | village | 212 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 6 of the county's 287 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Fairfield County, the largest being Pataskala (2), Columbus (2), Plain City (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.
Nearby