Lake County, Ohio: commercial real estate data.
Lake County, Ohio had an estimated 232,360 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 232,522, across 227 square miles. County output reached $15.72 bn in 2024, 5,504 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 571 7(a) approvals worth $158.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Lake County
How many people live in Lake County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024232,216
- Households101,144
- Average household size2.30
- Median household income$80,925
- Median age44.1
- Median gross rent$1,113 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$214,100
- Home value to household income2.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher31.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over169,134
- Population under 1844,800
- Share under 1819.3 percent
- Population 65 and over50,308
- Share 65 and over21.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64137,108
- Civilian labor force127,058
- Unemployment rate3.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.8 percent
- Rank by population among Ohio counties11th of 88
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included305th of 3,222
Lake County is the 11th largest of 88 Ohio counties by population. A median home costs 2.6 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 21.7 percent against 19.3 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lake County
Is Lake County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024232,360
- Census 2020 base population232,522
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.07 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024396
- Births, 20242,050
- Deaths, 20242,755
- Natural change, 2024-705
- Net domestic migration, 2024442
- Net international migration, 2024659
- Total net migration, 20241,101
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,652
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1864th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.07 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.
Lake County
Where are people moving to Lake County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving5,113
- People arriving, from those returns8,075
- Tax returns filed by households leaving4,989
- Net household movement124
- Adjusted gross income arriving$326.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-11.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$63,913
- Average income of a leaving household$67,863
- Largest single originCuyahoga County (2,148 households)
- Largest single destinationCuyahoga County (1,711 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuyahoga County | 2,148 | 3,390 | $123.6 m |
| Geauga County | 417 | 630 | $25.4 m |
| Ashtabula County | 392 | 617 | $23.2 m |
| Summit County | 196 | 293 | $13.6 m |
| Franklin County | 98 | 145 | $5.6 m |
| Portage County | 92 | 127 | $4.7 m |
| Lorain County | 67 | 99 | $3.7 m |
| Trumbull County | 55 | 68 | $2.7 m |
Households arriving report $3,950 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Cuyahoga 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.
Lake County
What is the Lake County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$15.72 bn
- County GDP, 2023$14.92 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.3 percent
- GDP change over five years31.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Ohio areas BEA publishes11th of 88
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes317th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$67,681
Output grew 5.3 percent in the latest year and 31.2 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.
Lake County
Employment by industry in Lake County
- Covered employment, annual average98,558
- Establishments reporting6,826
- Average annual pay$59,040
- Average weekly wage$1,135
- Manufacturing, employment21,515
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$75,334
- Retail trade, employment12,346
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,800
- Health care and social assistance, employment11,167
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$48,748
- Accommodation and food services, employment9,961
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,980
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment5,242
- Finance and insurance, employment5,199
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 21,515 | 587 | $75,334 |
| Retail trade | 12,346 | 789 | $36,800 |
| Health care and social assistance | 11,167 | 680 | $48,748 |
| Accommodation and food services | 9,961 | 605 | $21,980 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 5,242 | 458 | $41,646 |
| Finance and insurance | 5,199 | 315 | $100,651 |
| Construction | 4,433 | 660 | $72,364 |
| Wholesale trade | 3,590 | 441 | $86,517 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 21,515 jobs, 21.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lake County
How many businesses are in Lake County?
- Establishments, all industries5,504
- Employment at those establishments87,115
- Annual payroll$5.25 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.7
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.
Lake County
Building permits in Lake County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024428
- Declared construction value permitted$139.2 m
- Single family units authorized402
- Multifamily units authorized26
- Multifamily share of units6.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$325,270
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.2
Single-family homes are 93.9 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lake County
SBA loans in Lake County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded571
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$158.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$276,699
- Median 7(a) approval$83,500
- 10th percentile approval$23,000
- 90th percentile approval$637,500
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)4,320
- Jobs per approval7.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active45
- Distinct industries receiving approvals185
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer8.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms48
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter499
- Franchise loans41
- Franchise share of approvals7.2 percent
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (401)
- 504 approvals recorded134
- 504 gross approval dollars$64.9 m
- Average 504 approval$484,515
- Median 504 approval$306,500
- Distinct CDCs active8
- 504 jobs per approval11.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved22.8
- Most active CDCGrowth Capital Corp. (55)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$222.9 m
The average approval of $276,699 sits well above the median of $83,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 8.4 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.
Lake County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Lake County
Do SBA loans in Lake County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded129
- Paid in full122
- Charged off7
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans5.4 percent
- Status: Paid in full122
- Status: Cancelled52
- Status: Charged off7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure369
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed21
Of the 129 loans that have reached a final outcome, 5.4 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.
Lake County
SBA lending by place in Lake County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending31
- Mentor, approvals148
- Willoughby, approvals91
- Painesville, approvals86
- Eastlake, approvals45
- Madison, approvals41
- Wickliffe, approvals30
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Mentor | 148 | $52,051,900 |
| Willoughby | 91 | $28,720,100 |
| Painesville | 86 | $15,914,000 |
| Eastlake | 45 | $11,666,900 |
| Madison | 41 | $9,226,100 |
| Wickliffe | 30 | $10,022,400 |
| Perry | 23 | $7,552,000 |
| Concord Township | 20 | $9,537,000 |
| 23 other borrower cities | 87 | $13,304,500 |
Mentor accounts for 148 approvals against 91 in Willoughby. 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.
Lake County
How large is Lake County?
- Land area227 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Ohio counties88th of 88
- Width, east to west25.1 mi
- Height, north to south19.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land1,023
- Establishments per square mile24.25
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.
Lake County
Flood risk in Lake County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Lake County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 390771
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book19
- Of those, participating in the NFIP19
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Lake County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Lake County (community 390771), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Lake County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Lake 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 Lake County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024232,216
- Households101,144
- Average household size2.30
- Median household income$80,925
- Median age44.1
Common questions
Lake County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lake County, Ohio?
The Census Bureau estimates 232,360 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 232,216, in 101,144 households, ranking 11th of 88 Ohio counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lake County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.07 percent since the 2020 census base of 232,522, to 232,360 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 2,050 births against 2,755 deaths, with net migration of 1,101. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lake County?
$80,925. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $214,100, which is 2.6 times income, and median gross rent is $1,113 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Lake County?
5,504 establishments, employing 87,115 people with an annual payroll of $5.25 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 Lake County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 21,515 jobs, 21.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 98,558 jobs at an average annual pay of $59,040, or $1,135 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lake County?
571 7(a) approvals totaling $158.0 m since FY2020, across 45 lenders, with a median approval of $83,500, plus 134 504 approvals worth $64.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Lake County get paid back?
Of the 129 loans that have reached a final outcome, 122 were paid in full and 7 charged off, a charge-off rate of 5.4 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Lake County?
428 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $139.2 m. Multifamily was 6.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lake County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Lake County come from?
The largest single origin is Cuyahoga County, with 2,148 households. Arriving households report an average income of $63,913 against $67,863 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lake 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 Lake 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.
Lake County
Cities and places in Lake.
19 Census places lie wholly or partly in Lake County. All 19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mentor | city | 47,171 | 148 | Wholly in this county |
| Willoughby | city | 24,046 | 91 | Wholly in this county |
| Painesville | city | 20,548 | 86 | Wholly in this county |
| Eastlake | city | 17,493 | 45 | Wholly in this county |
| Willowick | city | 14,162 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Wickliffe | city | 12,659 | 30 | Wholly in this county |
| Willoughby Hills | city | 9,975 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| North Madison | CDP | 8,594 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mentor-on-the-Lake | city | 7,111 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Kirtland | city | 6,911 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Madison | village | 3,417 | 41 | Wholly in this county |
| Fairport Harbor | village | 3,089 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Perry | village | 1,729 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| North Perry | village | 1,004 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kirtland Hills | village | 639 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Grand River | village | 625 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Waite Hill | village | 600 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Timberlake | village | 573 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Lakeline | village | 206 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 43 of the county's 571 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Lake County, the largest being Concord Township (20), Concord (3), Painseville (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.
Nearby