Leon County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Leon County, Texas had an estimated 16,698 residents on July 1, 2024, up 5.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 15,761, across 1,073 square miles. County output reached $1.15 bn in 2024, 365 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 14 7(a) approvals worth $22.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Leon County
How many people live in Leon County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,263
- Households6,741
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$61,449
- Median age44.6
- Median gross rent$907 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$186,400
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over11,541
- Population under 183,699
- Share under 1822.7 percent
- Population 65 and over3,999
- Share 65 and over24.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 648,565
- Civilian labor force6,596
- Unemployment rate4.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over52.5 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties137th of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2080th of 3,222
Leon County is the 137th largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 24.6 percent against 22.7 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.
Leon County
Is Leon County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202416,698
- Census 2020 base population15,761
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.95 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024142
- Births, 2024183
- Deaths, 2024251
- Natural change, 2024-68
- Net domestic migration, 2024175
- Net international migration, 202438
- Total net migration, 2024213
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,174
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents418th of 3,144
The county has grown 5.95 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.
Leon County
Where are people moving to Leon County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving620
- People arriving, from those returns1,312
- Tax returns filed by households leaving466
- Net household movement154
- Adjusted gross income arriving$45.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$20.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$73,042
- Average income of a leaving household$52,854
- Largest single originHarris County (87 households)
- Largest single destinationBrazos County (51 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County | 87 | 186 | $8.2 m |
| Montgomery County | 73 | 170 | $9.1 m |
| Brazos County | 43 | 94 | $2.4 m |
| Madison County | 23 | 60 | $1.5 m |
| Anderson County | 22 | 57 | $663,000 |
| Freestone County | 21 | 42 | $491,000 |
Households arriving report $20,188 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.
Leon County
What is the Leon County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.15 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.05 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20249.5 percent
- GDP change over five years76.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes146th of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1729th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$70,557
Output grew 9.5 percent in the latest year and 76.6 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.
Leon County
Employment by industry in Leon County
- Covered employment, annual average5,852
- Establishments reporting424
- Average annual pay$64,846
- Average weekly wage$1,247
- Construction, employment1,945
- Construction, average annual pay$74,602
- Manufacturing, employment774
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$118,582
- Retail trade, employment570
- Retail trade, average annual pay$28,144
- Wholesale trade, employment172
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$66,532
- Finance and insurance, employment168
- Health care and social assistance, employment134
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 1,945 | 49 | $74,602 |
| Manufacturing | 774 | 18 | $118,582 |
| Retail trade | 570 | 58 | $28,144 |
| Wholesale trade | 172 | 18 | $66,532 |
| Finance and insurance | 168 | 22 | $68,908 |
| Health care and social assistance | 134 | 22 | $41,914 |
| Other services, except public administration | 111 | 21 | $38,413 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 108 | 26 | $72,514 |
Construction is the largest private sector at 1,945 jobs, 33.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Leon County
How many businesses are in Leon County?
- Establishments, all industries365
- Employment at those establishments4,799
- Annual payroll$333.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.4
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.
Leon County
Building permits in Leon County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20240
- Declared construction value permitted$0
- Single family units authorized0
- Multifamily units authorized0
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. In a small county this is common and is not by itself a sign of distress, but it does mean there is no recent residential pipeline to read demand from.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Leon County
SBA loans in Leon County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded14
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$22.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,577,071
- Median 7(a) approval$1,279,700
- Largest single approval$4,896,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)47
- Jobs per approval3.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals7
- Median 7(a) term180 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer35.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter3
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals14.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countBroilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (6)
- Most active lenderFirst Financial Bank (6)
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Leon County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Leon County
Do SBA loans in Leon County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure8
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 4 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.
Leon County
SBA lending by place in Leon County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Marquez, approvals5
- Jewett, approvals3
- Buffalo, approvals3
- Normangee, approvals2
- Centerville, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Marquez | 5 | $7,730,000 |
| Jewett | 3 | $7,125,400 |
| Buffalo | 3 | $6,084,000 |
| Normangee | 2 | $159,600 |
| Centerville | 1 | $980,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Leon County
How large is Leon County?
- Land area1,073 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties53rd of 254
- Width, east to west39.8 mi
- Height, north to south44.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land15
- Establishments per square mile0.34
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.
Leon County
Flood risk in Leon County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Leon County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 480903
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate87.5 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Leon 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 Leon County (community 480903), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Leon 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. 87.5 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 Leon 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 Leon County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,263
- Households6,741
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$61,449
- Median age44.6
Common questions
Leon County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Leon County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 16,698 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 16,263, in 6,741 households, ranking 137th of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Leon County's population growing?
The population has grown 5.95 percent since the 2020 census base of 15,761, to 16,698 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 183 births against 251 deaths, with net migration of 213. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Leon County?
$61,449. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $186,400, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $907 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Leon County?
365 establishments, employing 4,799 people with an annual payroll of $333.8 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 Leon County?
Construction is the largest private sector at 1,945 jobs, 33.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,852 jobs at an average annual pay of $64,846, or $1,247 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Leon County?
14 7(a) approvals totaling $22.1 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $1,279,700. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Leon County?
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Leon 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 Leon County come from?
The largest single origin is Harris County, with 87 households. Arriving households report an average income of $73,042 against $52,854 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Leon 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 Leon 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.
Leon County
Cities and places in Leon.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Leon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo | city | 1,652 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Jewett | city | 1,075 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Centerville | city | 1,053 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Normangee | town | 826 | 2 | 76.6 percent here, 23.4 percent Madison County |
| Hilltop Lakes | CDP | 797 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oakwood | town | 570 | None recorded | 91.2 percent here, 8.8 percent Freestone County |
| Leona | city | 244 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Marquez | city | 198 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
Nearby