Austin County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Austin County, Texas had an estimated 32,546 residents on July 1, 2024, up 7.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 30,167, across 647 square miles. County output reached $2.38 bn in 2024, 705 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 21 7(a) approvals worth $23.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Austin County
How many people live in Austin County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202431,170
- Households12,128
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$75,789
- Median age41.1
- Median gross rent$1,137 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$296,900
- Home value to household income3.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher25.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over21,482
- Population under 187,302
- Share under 1823.4 percent
- Population 65 and over6,556
- Share 65 and over21.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6417,312
- Civilian labor force15,005
- Unemployment rate4.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.9 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties93rd of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1442nd of 3,222
Austin County is the 93rd largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 3.9 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.4 percent against 21.0 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Austin County
Is Austin County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202432,546
- Census 2020 base population30,167
- Population change since the 2020 census base7.89 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024885
- Births, 2024355
- Deaths, 2024354
- Natural change, 20241
- Net domestic migration, 2024805
- Net international migration, 202484
- Total net migration, 2024889
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,243
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents245th of 3,144
The county has grown 7.89 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.
Austin County
Where are people moving to Austin County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving988
- People arriving, from those returns1,956
- Tax returns filed by households leaving818
- Net household movement170
- Adjusted gross income arriving$85.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$36.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$86,944
- Average income of a leaving household$60,524
- Largest single originHarris County (335 households)
- Largest single destinationHarris County (195 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County | 335 | 662 | $28.1 m |
| Fort Bend County | 140 | 311 | $19.4 m |
| Waller County | 72 | 157 | $5.7 m |
| Colorado County | 41 | 96 | $3.1 m |
| Washington County | 41 | 98 | $3.5 m |
| Montgomery County | 34 | 62 | $3.4 m |
| Brazos County | 22 | 40 | $1.5 m |
Households arriving report $26,420 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 Harris 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.
Austin County
What is the Austin County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.38 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.21 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.6 percent
- GDP change over five years56.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes95th of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1136th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$76,390
Output grew 7.6 percent in the latest year and 56.8 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.
Austin County
Employment by industry in Austin County
- Covered employment, annual average13,271
- Establishments reporting1,532
- Average annual pay$67,754
- Average weekly wage$1,303
- Retail trade, employment2,064
- Retail trade, average annual pay$47,129
- Manufacturing, employment1,974
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$71,302
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,048
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$65,635
- Construction, employment1,019
- Construction, average annual pay$80,068
- Accommodation and food services, employment994
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment818
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 2,064 | 123 | $47,129 |
| Manufacturing | 1,974 | 85 | $71,302 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,048 | 100 | $65,635 |
| Construction | 1,019 | 139 | $80,068 |
| Accommodation and food services | 994 | 74 | $22,369 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 818 | 329 | $102,853 |
| Finance and insurance | 643 | 80 | $101,044 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 602 | 95 | $55,013 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 2,064 jobs, 15.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Austin County
How many businesses are in Austin County?
- Establishments, all industries705
- Employment at those establishments8,616
- Annual payroll$460.6 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.6
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.
Austin County
Building permits in Austin County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024412
- Declared construction value permitted$109.2 m
- Single family units authorized412
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$265,073
- Units authorized per 1,000 households34.0
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.
Austin County
SBA loans in Austin County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded21
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$23.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,126,576
- Median 7(a) approval$249,600
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$3,660,000
- Largest single approval$4,743,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)305
- Jobs per approval14.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active15
- Distinct industries receiving approvals19
- Median 7(a) term126 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer28.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter9
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals9.5 percent
- Most active lenderWells Fargo Bank National Association (3)
- 504 approvals recorded10
- 504 gross approval dollars$12.3 m
- Average 504 approval$1,234,200
- Median 504 approval$628,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval15.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.2
- Most active CDCCapital Certified Development Corporation (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$36.0 m
The average approval of $1,126,576 sits well above the median of $249,600, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 28.6 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.
Austin County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Austin County
Do SBA loans in Austin County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded8
- Paid in full8
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full8
- Status: Exempt from disclosure11
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 8 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.
Austin County
SBA lending by place in Austin County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Sealy, approvals11
- Bellville, approvals4
- Industry, approvals3
- New Ulm, approvals1
- Wallis, approvals1
- Cat Spring, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Sealy | 11 | $14,492,600 |
| Bellville | 4 | $875,000 |
| Industry | 3 | $7,060,000 |
| New Ulm | 1 | $1,173,000 |
| Wallis | 1 | $50,000 |
| Cat Spring | 1 | $7,500 |
Sealy accounts for 11 approvals against 4 in Bellville. 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.
Austin County
How large is Austin County?
- Land area647 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties224th of 254
- Width, east to west35.8 mi
- Height, north to south34.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land48
- Establishments per square mile1.09
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.
Austin County
Flood risk in Austin County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Austin County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 480704
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate85.7 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Austin County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Austin County (community 480704), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Austin County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 85.7 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 Austin 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 Austin County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202431,170
- Households12,128
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$75,789
- Median age41.1
Common questions
Austin County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Austin County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 32,546 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 31,170, in 12,128 households, ranking 93rd of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Austin County's population growing?
The population has grown 7.89 percent since the 2020 census base of 30,167, to 32,546 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 355 births against 354 deaths, with net migration of 889. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Austin County?
$75,789. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $296,900, which is 3.9 times income, and median gross rent is $1,137 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Austin County?
705 establishments, employing 8,616 people with an annual payroll of $460.6 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 Austin County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 2,064 jobs, 15.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 13,271 jobs at an average annual pay of $67,754, or $1,303 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Austin County?
21 7(a) approvals totaling $23.7 m since FY2020, across 15 lenders, with a median approval of $249,600, plus 10 504 approvals worth $12.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Austin County?
412 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $109.2 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Austin County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Austin County come from?
The largest single origin is Harris County, with 335 households. Arriving households report an average income of $86,944 against $60,524 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Austin 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 Austin 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.
Austin County
Cities and places in Austin.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Austin County. All 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sealy | city | 7,053 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Bellville | city | 4,221 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Wallis | city | 1,701 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| San Felipe | town | 1,334 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Brazos Country | city | 619 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Industry | city | 235 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| South Frydek | city | 221 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| New Ulm | CDP | 185 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 21 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Austin County, the largest being Cat Spring (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