Guernsey County, Ohio: commercial real estate data.
Guernsey County, Ohio had an estimated 38,219 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 38,434, across 522 square miles. County output reached $3.69 bn in 2024, 828 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 80 7(a) approvals worth $22.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Guernsey County
How many people live in Guernsey County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202438,223
- Households16,318
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$58,478
- Median age42.9
- Median gross rent$864 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$157,700
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher15.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over26,959
- Population under 188,455
- Share under 1822.1 percent
- Population 65 and over7,664
- Share 65 and over20.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6422,104
- Civilian labor force17,561
- Unemployment rate5.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.0 percent
- Rank by population among Ohio counties65th of 88
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1244th of 3,222
Guernsey County is the 65th largest of 88 Ohio counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.1 percent against 20.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Guernsey County
Is Guernsey County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202438,219
- Census 2020 base population38,434
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.56 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202493
- Births, 2024408
- Deaths, 2024577
- Natural change, 2024-169
- Net domestic migration, 2024251
- Net international migration, 202413
- Total net migration, 2024264
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024489
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2038th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.56 percent of its population 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.
Guernsey County
Where are people moving to Guernsey County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving728
- People arriving, from those returns1,373
- Tax returns filed by households leaving789
- Net household movement-61
- Adjusted gross income arriving$34.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-4.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$47,488
- Average income of a leaving household$49,089
- Largest single originMuskingum County (142 households)
- Largest single destinationMuskingum County (153 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muskingum County | 142 | 266 | $6.2 m |
| Noble County | 72 | 120 | $2.5 m |
| Franklin County | 48 | 77 | $3.7 m |
| Belmont County | 39 | 85 | $1.6 m |
| Tuscarawas County | 38 | 71 | $1.5 m |
Households arriving report $1,601 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Muskingum 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.
Guernsey County
What is the Guernsey County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.69 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.30 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 202411.8 percent
- GDP change over five years79.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Ohio areas BEA publishes43rd of 88
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes863rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$96,572
Output grew 11.8 percent in the latest year and 79.4 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.
Guernsey County
Employment by industry in Guernsey County
- Covered employment, annual average14,599
- Establishments reporting976
- Average annual pay$52,287
- Average weekly wage$1,006
- Manufacturing, employment2,842
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$69,551
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,712
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$47,969
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,682
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,564
- Retail trade, employment1,650
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,087
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment557
- Transportation and warehousing, employment554
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,842 | 43 | $69,551 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,712 | 118 | $47,969 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,682 | 94 | $20,564 |
| Retail trade | 1,650 | 135 | $33,087 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 557 | 34 | $99,935 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 554 | 49 | $60,151 |
| Construction | 463 | 72 | $77,179 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 384 | 44 | $64,132 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,842 jobs, 19.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Guernsey County
How many businesses are in Guernsey County?
- Establishments, all industries828
- Employment at those establishments12,636
- Annual payroll$596.6 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.7
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.
Guernsey County
Building permits in Guernsey County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202435
- Declared construction value permitted$7.5 m
- Single family units authorized35
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$215,350
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.1
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.
Guernsey County
SBA loans in Guernsey County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded80
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$22.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$283,808
- Median 7(a) approval$50,000
- 10th percentile approval$15,000
- 90th percentile approval$515,680
- Largest single approval$4,720,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)428
- Jobs per approval5.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active12
- Distinct industries receiving approvals45
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer11.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms9
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter67
- Franchise loans10
- Franchise share of approvals12.5 percent
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (42)
- 504 approvals recorded4
- 504 gross approval dollars$3.7 m
- Average 504 approval$913,250
- Median 504 approval$960,500
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval19.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved21.6
- Most active CDCOhio Statewide Development Corporation (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$26.4 m
The average approval of $283,808 sits well above the median of $50,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 11.3 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.
Guernsey County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Guernsey County
Do SBA loans in Guernsey County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded18
- Paid in full16
- Charged off2
- Status: Exempt from disclosure58
- Status: Paid in full16
- Status: Cancelled2
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Only 18 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.
Guernsey County
SBA lending by place in Guernsey County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending9
- Cambridge, approvals50
- Byesville, approvals12
- Lore City, approvals5
- Kimbolton, approvals3
- Quaker City, approvals3
- Pleasant City, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 50 | $20,374,300 |
| Byesville | 12 | $1,048,700 |
| Lore City | 5 | $454,500 |
| Kimbolton | 3 | $281,500 |
| Quaker City | 3 | $120,000 |
| Pleasant City | 3 | $75,000 |
| Senecaville | 2 | $80,000 |
| Cumberland | 1 | $245,600 |
| 1 other borrower city | 1 | $25,000 |
Cambridge accounts for 50 approvals against 12 in Byesville. 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.
Guernsey County
How large is Guernsey County?
- Land area522 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Ohio counties22nd of 88
- Width, east to west26.6 mi
- Height, north to south26.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land73
- Establishments per square mile1.59
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.
Guernsey County
Flood risk in Guernsey County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Guernsey County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 390198
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Guernsey 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 Guernsey County (community 390198), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Guernsey 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. 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 Guernsey 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 Guernsey County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202438,223
- Households16,318
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$58,478
- Median age42.9
Common questions
Guernsey County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Guernsey County, Ohio?
The Census Bureau estimates 38,219 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 38,223, in 16,318 households, ranking 65th of 88 Ohio counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Guernsey County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.56 percent since the 2020 census base of 38,434, to 38,219 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 408 births against 577 deaths, with net migration of 264. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Guernsey County?
$58,478. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $157,700, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $864 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Guernsey County?
828 establishments, employing 12,636 people with an annual payroll of $596.6 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 Guernsey County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,842 jobs, 19.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 14,599 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,287, or $1,006 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Guernsey County?
80 7(a) approvals totaling $22.7 m since FY2020, across 12 lenders, with a median approval of $50,000, plus 4 504 approvals worth $3.7 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Guernsey County?
35 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $7.5 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Guernsey 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 Guernsey County come from?
The largest single origin is Muskingum County, with 142 households. Arriving households report an average income of $47,488 against $49,089 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Guernsey 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 Guernsey 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.
Guernsey County
Cities and places in Guernsey.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Guernsey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | city | 10,060 | 50 | Wholly in this county |
| Byesville | village | 2,239 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Buffalo | CDP | 936 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pleasant City | village | 551 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Senecaville | village | 406 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Cumberland | village | 319 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Lore City | village | 300 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Quaker City | village | 275 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Old Washington | village | 223 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kimbolton | CDP | 135 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Salesville | CDP | 100 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Fairview | village | 37 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby