Galveston County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Galveston County, Texas had an estimated 367,407 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 350,686, across 378 square miles. County output reached $26.34 bn in 2024, 6,597 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 282 7(a) approvals worth $223.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Galveston County
How many people live in Galveston County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024358,990
- Households140,660
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$86,105
- Median age38.8
- Median gross rent$1,404 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$314,600
- Home value to household income3.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher34.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over244,454
- Population under 1884,684
- Share under 1823.6 percent
- Population 65 and over56,604
- Share 65 and over15.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64217,702
- Civilian labor force180,394
- Unemployment rate5.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.8 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties16th of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included209th of 3,222
Galveston County is the 16th largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.6 percent against 15.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Galveston County
Is Galveston County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024367,407
- Census 2020 base population350,686
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.77 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20244,821
- Births, 20243,892
- Deaths, 20243,250
- Natural change, 2024642
- Net domestic migration, 20242,760
- Net international migration, 20241,425
- Total net migration, 20244,185
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202410,273
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents562nd of 3,144
The county has grown 4.77 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.
Galveston County
Where are people moving to Galveston County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving10,718
- People arriving, from those returns19,772
- Tax returns filed by households leaving9,826
- Net household movement892
- Adjusted gross income arriving$831.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$99.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$77,613
- Average income of a leaving household$74,572
- Largest single originHarris County (4,404 households)
- Largest single destinationHarris County (3,624 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County | 4,404 | 8,037 | $343.0 m |
| Brazoria County | 830 | 1,656 | $63.0 m |
| Fort Bend County | 265 | 488 | $33.2 m |
| Montgomery County | 201 | 365 | $18.0 m |
| Travis County | 195 | 294 | $17.7 m |
| Tarrant County | 156 | 280 | $13.2 m |
| Dallas County | 138 | 208 | $9.7 m |
| Bexar County | 133 | 218 | $9.4 m |
Households arriving report $3,041 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.
Galveston County
What is the Galveston County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$26.34 bn
- County GDP, 2023$25.94 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.5 percent
- GDP change over five years67.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes16th of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes215th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$73,363
Output grew 1.5 percent in the latest year and 67.9 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.
Galveston County
Employment by industry in Galveston County
- Covered employment, annual average122,734
- Establishments reporting6,943
- Average annual pay$62,650
- Average weekly wage$1,205
- Accommodation and food services, employment18,949
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$25,458
- Retail trade, employment13,804
- Retail trade, average annual pay$38,288
- Health care and social assistance, employment10,162
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$52,593
- Construction, employment7,451
- Construction, average annual pay$82,928
- Manufacturing, employment6,054
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment4,993
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 18,949 | 819 | $25,458 |
| Retail trade | 13,804 | 944 | $38,288 |
| Health care and social assistance | 10,162 | 716 | $52,593 |
| Construction | 7,451 | 547 | $82,928 |
| Manufacturing | 6,054 | 240 | $135,037 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 4,993 | 392 | $54,337 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4,739 | 176 | $58,102 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 4,719 | 764 | $80,522 |
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 18,949 jobs, 15.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Galveston County
How many businesses are in Galveston County?
- Establishments, all industries6,597
- Employment at those establishments95,225
- Annual payroll$5.03 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents18.4
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.
Galveston County
Building permits in Galveston County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20243,148
- Declared construction value permitted$894.3 m
- Single family units authorized3,148
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$284,088
- Units authorized per 1,000 households22.4
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.
Galveston County
SBA loans in Galveston County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded282
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$223.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$793,878
- Median 7(a) approval$320,000
- 10th percentile approval$35,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,507,070
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)3,476
- Jobs per approval12.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active79
- Distinct industries receiving approvals114
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer26.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms75
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter185
- Franchise loans98
- Franchise share of approvals34.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (19)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (35)
- 504 approvals recorded63
- 504 gross approval dollars$56.8 m
- Average 504 approval$901,270
- Median 504 approval$545,000
- Distinct CDCs active10
- 504 jobs per approval10.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.1
- Most active CDCNorth Texas Certified Development Corporation (23)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$280.7 m
The average approval of $793,878 sits well above the median of $320,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 26.6 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.
Galveston County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Galveston County
Do SBA loans in Galveston County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded37
- Paid in full30
- Charged off7
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans18.9 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure187
- Status: Paid in full30
- Status: Cancelled42
- Status: Charged off7
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed16
Of the 37 loans that have reached a final outcome, 18.9 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.
Galveston County
SBA lending by place in Galveston County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending16
- League City, approvals99
- Friendswood, approvals43
- Galveston, approvals35
- Texas City, approvals30
- Kemah, approvals18
- Santa Fe, approvals15
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| League City | 99 | $70,614,400 |
| Friendswood | 43 | $21,360,000 |
| Galveston | 35 | $34,901,700 |
| Texas City | 30 | $38,341,200 |
| Kemah | 18 | $13,294,600 |
| Santa Fe | 15 | $14,544,700 |
| Dickinson | 12 | $5,030,200 |
| La Marque | 9 | $2,733,500 |
| 8 other borrower cities | 21 | $23,053,200 |
League City accounts for 99 approvals against 43 in Friendswood. 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.
Galveston County
How large is Galveston County?
- Land area378 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties244th of 254
- Width, east to west51.9 mi
- Height, north to south35.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land950
- Establishments per square mile17.45
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.
Galveston County
Flood risk in Galveston County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Galveston County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 485470
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book15
- Of those, participating in the NFIP15
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 5
- Communities carrying a CRS class9
- Radon levels in Galveston 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 Galveston County (community 485470), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Galveston 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. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 5, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 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 Galveston 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 Galveston County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024358,990
- Households140,660
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$86,105
- Median age38.8
Common questions
Galveston County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Galveston County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 367,407 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 358,990, in 140,660 households, ranking 16th of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Galveston County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.77 percent since the 2020 census base of 350,686, to 367,407 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 3,892 births against 3,250 deaths, with net migration of 4,185. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Galveston County?
$86,105. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $314,600, which is 3.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,404 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Galveston County?
6,597 establishments, employing 95,225 people with an annual payroll of $5.03 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 Galveston County?
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 18,949 jobs, 15.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 122,734 jobs at an average annual pay of $62,650, or $1,205 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Galveston County?
282 7(a) approvals totaling $223.9 m since FY2020, across 79 lenders, with a median approval of $320,000, plus 63 504 approvals worth $56.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Galveston County get paid back?
Of the 37 loans that have reached a final outcome, 30 were paid in full and 7 charged off, a charge-off rate of 18.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Galveston County?
3,148 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $894.3 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Galveston 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 Galveston County come from?
The largest single origin is Harris County, with 4,404 households. Arriving households report an average income of $77,613 against $74,572 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Galveston 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 Galveston 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.
Galveston County
Cities and places in Galveston.
16 Census places lie wholly or partly in Galveston County. All 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| League City | city | 116,215 | 99 | 96.0 percent here, 4.0 percent Harris County |
| Texas City | city | 55,364 | 30 | Wholly in this county |
| Galveston | city | 53,424 | 35 | Wholly in this county |
| Friendswood | city | 41,030 | 43 | 79.3 percent here, 20.7 percent Harris County |
| Dickinson | city | 21,753 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| La Marque | city | 19,268 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Santa Fe | city | 12,901 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Bacliff | CDP | 9,541 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Hitchcock | city | 7,563 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| San Leon | CDP | 6,458 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Bolivar Peninsula | CDP | 2,951 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kemah | city | 2,168 | 18 | Wholly in this county |
| Bayou Vista | city | 1,754 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Tiki Island | village | 1,210 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Clear Lake Shores | city | 1,140 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jamaica Beach | city | 967 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 7 of the county's 282 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Galveston County, the largest being Crystal Beach (3), Gilchrist (2), Baytown (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