Gillespie County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Gillespie County, Texas had an estimated 28,159 residents on July 1, 2024, up 5.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 26,743, across 1,058 square miles. County output reached $1.78 bn in 2024, 1,202 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 40 7(a) approvals worth $20.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Gillespie County
How many people live in Gillespie County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202427,524
- Households11,513
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$76,162
- Median age50.7
- Median gross rent$1,340 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$460,700
- Home value to household income6.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income21.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher37.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree13.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over20,683
- Population under 185,350
- Share under 1819.4 percent
- Population 65 and over8,301
- Share 65 and over30.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6413,873
- Civilian labor force12,521
- Unemployment rate2.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.5 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties99th of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1563rd of 3,222
Gillespie County is the 99th largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 6.0 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 30.2 percent against 19.4 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.
Gillespie County
Is Gillespie County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202428,159
- Census 2020 base population26,743
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.29 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024350
- Births, 2024246
- Deaths, 2024378
- Natural change, 2024-132
- Net domestic migration, 2024332
- Net international migration, 2024155
- Total net migration, 2024487
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,560
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents495th of 3,144
The county has grown 5.29 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.
Gillespie County
Where are people moving to Gillespie County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving921
- People arriving, from those returns1,690
- Tax returns filed by households leaving811
- Net household movement110
- Adjusted gross income arriving$184.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$119.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$200,413
- Average income of a leaving household$79,872
- Largest single originKerr County (98 households)
- Largest single destinationKerr County (128 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kerr County | 98 | 195 | $6.8 m |
| Bexar County | 79 | 138 | $15.5 m |
| Travis County | 66 | 118 | $13.3 m |
| Harris County | 47 | 85 | $8.3 m |
| Kendall County | 34 | 50 | $3.0 m |
| Williamson County | 29 | 63 | $5.7 m |
| Dallas County | 25 | 36 | $2.9 m |
| Hays County | 23 | 47 | $3.6 m |
Households arriving report $120,541 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 Kerr 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.
Gillespie County
What is the Gillespie County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.78 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.68 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.0 percent
- GDP change over five years45.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes115th of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1371st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$64,803
Output grew 6.0 percent in the latest year and 45.2 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.
Gillespie County
Employment by industry in Gillespie County
- Covered employment, annual average12,476
- Establishments reporting1,238
- Average annual pay$49,711
- Average weekly wage$956
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,164
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$30,476
- Retail trade, employment1,785
- Retail trade, average annual pay$38,488
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,696
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$57,138
- Manufacturing, employment1,571
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$47,196
- Construction, employment1,151
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment470
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 2,164 | 143 | $30,476 |
| Retail trade | 1,785 | 168 | $38,488 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,696 | 102 | $57,138 |
| Manufacturing | 1,571 | 89 | $47,196 |
| Construction | 1,151 | 162 | $62,932 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 470 | 104 | $78,251 |
| Wholesale trade | 386 | 44 | $57,456 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 377 | 22 | $41,924 |
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 2,164 jobs, 17.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Gillespie County
How many businesses are in Gillespie County?
- Establishments, all industries1,202
- Employment at those establishments11,690
- Annual payroll$524.6 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents43.7
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.
Gillespie County
Building permits in Gillespie County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202452
- Declared construction value permitted$11.1 m
- Single family units authorized52
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$213,148
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.5
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.
Gillespie County
SBA loans in Gillespie County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded40
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$20.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$510,745
- Median 7(a) approval$350,000
- 10th percentile approval$125,000
- 90th percentile approval$867,240
- Largest single approval$2,840,400
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)396
- Jobs per approval9.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active17
- Distinct industries receiving approvals31
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer22.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms9
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter28
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals12.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countWineries (6)
- Most active lenderSecurity State Bank and Trust (16)
- 504 approvals recorded18
- 504 gross approval dollars$25.1 m
- Average 504 approval$1,394,889
- Median 504 approval$1,087,000
- Distinct CDCs active8
- 504 jobs per approval13.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.8
- Most active CDCCapital Certified Development Corporation (8)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$45.5 m
The average approval of $510,745 sits well above the median of $350,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 22.5 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.
Gillespie County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Gillespie County
Do SBA loans in Gillespie County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure28
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Only 5 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.
Gillespie County
SBA lending by place in Gillespie County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Fredericksburg, approvals29
- Stonewall, approvals7
- Harper, approvals2
- Kerrville, approvals1
- Willow City, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Fredericksburg | 29 | $14,014,800 |
| Stonewall | 7 | $5,076,000 |
| Harper | 2 | $653,000 |
| Kerrville | 1 | $561,000 |
| Willow City | 1 | $125,000 |
Fredericksburg accounts for 29 approvals against 7 in Stonewall. 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.
Gillespie County
How large is Gillespie County?
- Land area1,058 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties57th of 254
- Width, east to west42.8 mi
- Height, north to south25.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land26
- Establishments per square mile1.14
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.
Gillespie County
Flood risk in Gillespie County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Gillespie County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 480696
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book2
- Of those, participating in the NFIP2
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Gillespie 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 Gillespie County (community 480696), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Gillespie 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. 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 Gillespie 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 Gillespie County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202427,524
- Households11,513
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$76,162
- Median age50.7
Common questions
Gillespie County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Gillespie County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 28,159 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 27,524, in 11,513 households, ranking 99th of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Gillespie County's population growing?
The population has grown 5.29 percent since the 2020 census base of 26,743, to 28,159 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 246 births against 378 deaths, with net migration of 487. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Gillespie County?
$76,162. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $460,700, which is 6.0 times income, and median gross rent is $1,340 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Gillespie County?
1,202 establishments, employing 11,690 people with an annual payroll of $524.6 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 Gillespie County?
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 2,164 jobs, 17.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 12,476 jobs at an average annual pay of $49,711, or $956 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Gillespie County?
40 7(a) approvals totaling $20.4 m since FY2020, across 17 lenders, with a median approval of $350,000, plus 18 504 approvals worth $25.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Gillespie County?
52 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $11.1 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Gillespie 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 Gillespie County come from?
The largest single origin is Kerr County, with 98 households. Arriving households report an average income of $200,413 against $79,872 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Gillespie 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 Gillespie 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.
Gillespie County
Cities and places in Gillespie.
3 Census places lie wholly or partly in Gillespie County. All 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fredericksburg | city | 11,419 | 29 | Wholly in this county |
| Harper | CDP | 1,214 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Stonewall | CDP | 295 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 40 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Gillespie County, the largest being Kerrville (1), Willow City (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