Jefferson County, Tennessee: commercial real estate data.
Jefferson County, Tennessee had an estimated 59,217 residents on July 1, 2024, up 8.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 54,681, across 274 square miles. County output reached $2.45 bn in 2024, 771 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 33 7(a) approvals worth $13.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Jefferson County
How many people live in Jefferson County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202456,864
- Households21,817
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$66,114
- Median age44.3
- Median gross rent$904 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$229,300
- Home value to household income3.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over41,208
- Population under 1810,933
- Share under 1819.2 percent
- Population 65 and over11,764
- Share 65 and over20.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6434,167
- Civilian labor force28,485
- Unemployment rate4.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.0 percent
- Rank by population among Tennessee counties27th of 95
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included930th of 3,222
Jefferson County is the 27th largest of 95 Tennessee counties by population. A median home costs 3.5 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 20.7 percent against 19.2 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.
Jefferson County
Is Jefferson County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202459,217
- Census 2020 base population54,681
- Population change since the 2020 census base8.30 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20241,320
- Births, 2024512
- Deaths, 2024807
- Natural change, 2024-295
- Net domestic migration, 20241,519
- Net international migration, 202497
- Total net migration, 20241,616
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20245,188
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents223rd of 3,144
The county has grown 8.30 percent 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.
Jefferson County
Where are people moving to Jefferson County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,236
- People arriving, from those returns4,373
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,676
- Net household movement560
- Adjusted gross income arriving$145.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$66.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$65,059
- Average income of a leaving household$47,014
- Largest single originSevier County (324 households)
- Largest single destinationHamblen County (351 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sevier County | 324 | 636 | $16.0 m |
| Knox County | 295 | 537 | $16.9 m |
| Hamblen County | 269 | 521 | $12.0 m |
| Cocke County | 130 | 288 | $6.6 m |
| Grainger County | 64 | 128 | $3.0 m |
| Blount County | 47 | 90 | $2.4 m |
| Greene County | 27 | 53 | $1.6 m |
| Washington County | 20 | 32 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $18,045 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 Sevier 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.
Jefferson County
What is the Jefferson County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.45 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.26 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20248.4 percent
- GDP change over five years34.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Tennessee areas BEA publishes30th of 95
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1117th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$43,008
Output grew 8.4 percent in the latest year and 34.7 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.
Jefferson County
Employment by industry in Jefferson County
- Covered employment, annual average14,061
- Establishments reporting1,038
- Average annual pay$55,672
- Average weekly wage$1,071
- Manufacturing, employment2,084
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$86,939
- Retail trade, employment1,809
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,495
- Transportation and warehousing, employment1,433
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$76,692
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,288
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,582
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment396
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment361
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,084 | 60 | $86,939 |
| Retail trade | 1,809 | 140 | $35,495 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,433 | 42 | $76,692 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,288 | 83 | $21,582 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 396 | 44 | $36,599 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 361 | 100 | $51,594 |
| Other services, except public administration | 340 | 72 | $48,400 |
| Finance and insurance | 215 | 64 | $59,278 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,084 jobs, 14.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Jefferson County
How many businesses are in Jefferson County?
- Establishments, all industries771
- Employment at those establishments11,709
- Annual payroll$548.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents13.6
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.
Jefferson County
Building permits in Jefferson County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024254
- Declared construction value permitted$96.6 m
- Single family units authorized244
- Multifamily units authorized10
- Multifamily share of units3.9 percent
- Average declared value per unit$380,286
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.6
Single-family homes are 96.1 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Jefferson County
SBA loans in Jefferson County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded33
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$13.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$401,591
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$24,520
- 90th percentile approval$974,000
- Largest single approval$2,871,100
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)353
- Jobs per approval10.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active17
- Distinct industries receiving approvals23
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer9.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter29
- Franchise loans4
- Franchise share of approvals12.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFinfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (4)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (8)
- 504 approvals recorded4
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.6 m
- Average 504 approval$640,500
- Median 504 approval$663,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval12.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved19.5
- Most active CDCBrightbridge, Inc. (4)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$15.8 m
The average approval of $401,591 sits well above the median of $150,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 9.1 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.
Jefferson County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Jefferson County
Do SBA loans in Jefferson County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded6
- Paid in full6
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure22
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Cancelled4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 6 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.
Jefferson County
SBA lending by place in Jefferson County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Jefferson City, approvals17
- Dandridge, approvals10
- New Market, approvals4
- White Pine, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Jefferson City | 17 | $7,287,200 |
| Dandridge | 10 | $4,964,000 |
| New Market | 4 | $829,300 |
| White Pine | 2 | $172,000 |
Jefferson City accounts for 17 approvals against 10 in Dandridge. 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.
Jefferson County
How large is Jefferson County?
- Land area274 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Tennessee counties79th of 95
- Width, east to west24.6 mi
- Height, north to south19.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land208
- Establishments per square mile2.81
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.
Jefferson County
Flood risk in Jefferson County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Jefferson County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 470097
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Jefferson 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 Jefferson County (community 470097), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202456,864
- Households21,817
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$66,114
- Median age44.3
Common questions
Jefferson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Jefferson County, Tennessee?
The Census Bureau estimates 59,217 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 56,864, in 21,817 households, ranking 27th of 95 Tennessee counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Jefferson County's population growing?
The population has grown 8.30 percent since the 2020 census base of 54,681, to 59,217 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 512 births against 807 deaths, with net migration of 1,616. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Jefferson County?
$66,114. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $229,300, which is 3.5 times income, and median gross rent is $904 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Jefferson County?
771 establishments, employing 11,709 people with an annual payroll of $548.2 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 Jefferson County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,084 jobs, 14.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 14,061 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,672, or $1,071 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Jefferson County?
33 7(a) approvals totaling $13.3 m since FY2020, across 17 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 4 504 approvals worth $2.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Jefferson County?
254 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $96.6 m. Multifamily was 3.9 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Jefferson 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 Jefferson County come from?
The largest single origin is Sevier County, with 324 households. Arriving households report an average income of $65,059 against $47,014 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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.
Jefferson County
Cities and places in Jefferson.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Jefferson County. All 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson City | city | 8,579 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Dandridge | town | 3,538 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Strawberry Plains | CDP | 2,669 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| White Pine | town | 2,565 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| New Market | town | 1,619 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Baneberry | city | 700 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby