Karnes County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Karnes County, Texas had an estimated 15,137 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,771, across 748 square miles. County output reached $7.03 bn in 2024, 328 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 12 7(a) approvals worth $23.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Karnes County
How many people live in Karnes County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,968
- Households4,730
- Average household size3.16
- Median household income$60,214
- Median age38.1
- Median gross rent$957 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$149,000
- Home value to household income2.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher14.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over10,685
- Population under 182,908
- Share under 1819.4 percent
- Population 65 and over2,268
- Share 65 and over15.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,792
- Civilian labor force5,509
- Unemployment rate2.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over45.7 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties139th of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2164th of 3,222
Karnes County is the 139th largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 2.5 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 19.4 percent against 15.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Karnes County
Is Karnes County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202415,137
- Census 2020 base population14,771
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.48 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202483
- Births, 2024144
- Deaths, 2024165
- Natural change, 2024-21
- Net domestic migration, 2024-61
- Net international migration, 2024165
- Total net migration, 2024104
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-74
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1010th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.48 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.
Karnes County
Where are people moving to Karnes County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving305
- People arriving, from those returns568
- Tax returns filed by households leaving323
- Net household movement-18
- Adjusted gross income arriving$16.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$2.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$54,262
- Average income of a leaving household$43,715
- Largest single originBexar County (55 households)
- Largest single destinationBexar County (54 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexar County | 55 | 89 | $2.9 m |
| Wilson County | 34 | 77 | $2.6 m |
| Bee County | 32 | 84 | $1.4 m |
Households arriving report $10,547 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 Bexar 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.
Karnes County
What is the Karnes County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$7.03 bn
- County GDP, 2023$7.58 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-7.2 percent
- GDP change over five years119.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes45th of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes584th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$469,750
Output grew -7.2 percent in the latest year and 119.7 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.
Karnes County
Employment by industry in Karnes County
- Covered employment, annual average6,178
- Establishments reporting409
- Average annual pay$71,755
- Average weekly wage$1,380
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment700
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, average annual pay$89,724
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment658
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$81,456
- Retail trade, employment581
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,759
- Manufacturing, employment246
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$80,134
- Transportation and warehousing, employment243
- Construction, employment233
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 700 | 28 | $89,724 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 658 | 18 | $81,456 |
| Retail trade | 581 | 47 | $33,759 |
| Manufacturing | 246 | 14 | $80,134 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 243 | 28 | $94,363 |
| Construction | 233 | 28 | $75,678 |
| Health care and social assistance | 231 | 24 | $41,231 |
| Wholesale trade | 200 | 24 | $73,906 |
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction is the largest private sector at 700 jobs, 11.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Karnes County
How many businesses are in Karnes County?
- Establishments, all industries328
- Employment at those establishments5,230
- Annual payroll$383.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.9
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.
Karnes County
Building permits in Karnes County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202480
- Declared construction value permitted$15.6 m
- Single family units authorized80
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$195,555
- Units authorized per 1,000 households16.9
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.
Karnes County
SBA loans in Karnes County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded12
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$23.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,976,867
- Median 7(a) approval$1,774,500
- Largest single approval$4,610,600
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)162
- Jobs per approval13.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals4
- Median 7(a) term300 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer83.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms10
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter2
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals41.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (8)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.3 m
- Average 504 approval$1,172,500
- Median 504 approval$1,172,500
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval12.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.2
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$26.1 m
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.
Karnes County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Karnes County
Do SBA loans in Karnes County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure6
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Only 2 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.
Karnes County
SBA lending by place in Karnes County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Kenedy, approvals7
- Karnes City, approvals5
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Kenedy | 7 | $14,358,800 |
| Karnes City | 5 | $9,363,600 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Karnes County
How large is Karnes County?
- Land area748 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties209th of 254
- Width, east to west37.3 mi
- Height, north to south38.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land20
- Establishments per square mile0.44
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.
Karnes County
Flood risk in Karnes County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Karnes County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 481175
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Karnes 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 Karnes County (community 481175), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Karnes 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 Karnes 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 Karnes County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,968
- Households4,730
- Average household size3.16
- Median household income$60,214
- Median age38.1
Common questions
Karnes County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Karnes County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 15,137 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 14,968, in 4,730 households, ranking 139th of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Karnes County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.48 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,771, to 15,137 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 144 births against 165 deaths, with net migration of 104. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Karnes County?
$60,214. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $149,000, which is 2.5 times income, and median gross rent is $957 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Karnes County?
328 establishments, employing 5,230 people with an annual payroll of $383.1 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 Karnes County?
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction is the largest private sector at 700 jobs, 11.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 6,178 jobs at an average annual pay of $71,755, or $1,380 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Karnes County?
12 7(a) approvals totaling $23.7 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $1,774,500, plus 2 504 approvals worth $2.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Karnes County?
80 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $15.6 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Karnes 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 Karnes County come from?
The largest single origin is Bexar County, with 55 households. Arriving households report an average income of $54,262 against $43,715 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Karnes 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 Karnes 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.
Karnes County
Cities and places in Karnes.
4 Census places lie wholly or partly in Karnes County. All 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karnes City | city | 3,605 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Kenedy | city | 3,430 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Runge | town | 1,108 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Falls City | city | 541 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby