Preble County, Ohio: commercial real estate data.
Preble County, Ohio had an estimated 40,801 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 41,005, across 424 square miles. County output reached $1.56 bn in 2024, 671 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 30 7(a) approvals worth $18.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Preble County
How many people live in Preble County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202440,765
- Households16,725
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$69,223
- Median age43.3
- Median gross rent$794 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$180,900
- Home value to household income2.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over28,702
- Population under 189,043
- Share under 1822.2 percent
- Population 65 and over8,298
- Share 65 and over20.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6423,424
- Civilian labor force20,312
- Unemployment rate3.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.0 percent
- Rank by population among Ohio counties61st of 88
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1193rd of 3,222
Preble County is the 61st largest of 88 Ohio counties by population. A median home costs 2.6 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.2 percent against 20.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Preble County
Is Preble County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202440,801
- Census 2020 base population41,005
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.50 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024238
- Births, 2024413
- Deaths, 2024477
- Natural change, 2024-64
- Net domestic migration, 2024294
- Net international migration, 202412
- Total net migration, 2024306
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024386
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2019th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.50 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.
Preble County
Where are people moving to Preble County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving898
- People arriving, from those returns1,665
- Tax returns filed by households leaving875
- Net household movement23
- Adjusted gross income arriving$55.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$13.3 m
- Average income of an arriving household$61,820
- Average income of a leaving household$48,280
- Largest single originMontgomery County (229 households)
- Largest single destinationMontgomery County (231 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | 229 | 436 | $14.5 m |
| Butler County | 162 | 349 | $9.7 m |
| Wayne County | 67 | 118 | $2.8 m |
| Darke County | 40 | 64 | $1.9 m |
| Warren County | 34 | 69 | $1.8 m |
| Hamilton County | 30 | 46 | $1.5 m |
| Greene County | 23 | 37 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $13,540 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 Montgomery 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.
Preble County
What is the Preble County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.56 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.58 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-1.2 percent
- GDP change over five years28.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Ohio areas BEA publishes74th of 88
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1478th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$38,336
Output grew -1.2 percent in the latest year and 28.6 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.
Preble County
Employment by industry in Preble County
- Covered employment, annual average11,510
- Establishments reporting806
- Average annual pay$52,740
- Average weekly wage$1,014
- Manufacturing, employment3,807
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$74,174
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,176
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$38,828
- Retail trade, employment1,132
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,912
- Accommodation and food services, employment994
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,888
- Wholesale trade, employment451
- Construction, employment434
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,807 | 52 | $74,174 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,176 | 85 | $38,828 |
| Retail trade | 1,132 | 96 | $32,912 |
| Accommodation and food services | 994 | 62 | $18,888 |
| Wholesale trade | 451 | 35 | $72,315 |
| Construction | 434 | 98 | $55,429 |
| Other services, except public administration | 334 | 62 | $27,700 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 294 | 30 | $43,339 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,807 jobs, 33.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Preble County
How many businesses are in Preble County?
- Establishments, all industries671
- Employment at those establishments10,532
- Annual payroll$540.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents16.5
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.
Preble County
Building permits in Preble County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202458
- Declared construction value permitted$17.6 m
- Single family units authorized58
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$302,807
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.5
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.
Preble County
SBA loans in Preble County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded30
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$18.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$599,403
- Median 7(a) approval$357,500
- 10th percentile approval$19,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,308,200
- Largest single approval$3,340,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)299
- Jobs per approval10.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active16
- Distinct industries receiving approvals21
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer26.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms8
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter19
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals6.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countOffices of Dentists (4)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (8)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$312,000
- Average 504 approval$156,000
- Median 504 approval$156,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval20.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved128.2
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$18.3 m
The average approval of $599,403 sits well above the median of $357,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 26.7 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.
Preble County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Preble County
Do SBA loans in Preble County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded11
- Paid in full11
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Paid in full11
- Status: Exempt from disclosure16
Only 11 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.
Preble County
SBA lending by place in Preble County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending8
- Eaton, approvals12
- Camden, approvals5
- Lewisburg, approvals4
- West Manchester, approvals3
- West Alexandria, approvals2
- Germantown, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Eaton | 12 | $5,534,600 |
| Camden | 5 | $4,631,500 |
| Lewisburg | 4 | $4,786,000 |
| West Manchester | 3 | $650,000 |
| West Alexandria | 2 | $1,875,000 |
| Germantown | 2 | $440,000 |
| Eldorado | 1 | $40,000 |
| W Alexandria | 1 | $25,000 |
Eaton accounts for 12 approvals against 5 in Camden. 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.
Preble County
How large is Preble County?
- Land area424 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Ohio counties48th of 88
- Width, east to west17.9 mi
- Height, north to south24.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land96
- Establishments per square mile1.58
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.
Preble County
Flood risk in Preble County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Preble County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 390460
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 9
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate70.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 9
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Preble 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 Preble County (community 390460), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 9, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Preble 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. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 9, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 70.0 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 Preble 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 Preble County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202440,765
- Households16,725
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$69,223
- Median age43.3
Common questions
Preble County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Preble County, Ohio?
The Census Bureau estimates 40,801 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 40,765, in 16,725 households, ranking 61st of 88 Ohio counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Preble County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.50 percent since the 2020 census base of 41,005, to 40,801 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 413 births against 477 deaths, with net migration of 306. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Preble County?
$69,223. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $180,900, which is 2.6 times income, and median gross rent is $794 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Preble County?
671 establishments, employing 10,532 people with an annual payroll of $540.8 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 Preble County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,807 jobs, 33.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 11,510 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,740, or $1,014 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Preble County?
30 7(a) approvals totaling $18.0 m since FY2020, across 16 lenders, with a median approval of $357,500, plus 2 504 approvals worth $312,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Preble County?
58 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $17.6 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Preble 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 Preble County come from?
The largest single origin is Montgomery County, with 229 households. Arriving households report an average income of $61,820 against $48,280 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Preble 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 Preble 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.
Preble County
Cities and places in Preble.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Preble 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eaton | city | 8,339 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Lakengren | CDP | 3,445 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Camden | village | 2,029 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Lewisburg | village | 1,927 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| New Paris | village | 1,582 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| West Alexandria | village | 1,340 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Eldorado | village | 841 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Gratis | village | 725 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Verona | village | 653 | None recorded | 86.7 percent here, 13.3 percent Montgomery County |
| College Corner | village | 429 | None recorded | 50.9 percent here, 49.1 percent Butler County |
| West Manchester | village | 341 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| West Elkton | village | 148 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 30 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Preble County, the largest being Germantown (2), W Alexandria (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