Nueces County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Nueces County, Texas had an estimated 353,125 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 353,357, across 838 square miles. County output reached $27.85 bn in 2024, 8,111 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 174 7(a) approvals worth $127.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Nueces County
How many people live in Nueces County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024352,955
- Households131,160
- Average household size2.69
- Median household income$66,897
- Median age37.2
- Median gross rent$1,283 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$208,800
- Home value to household income3.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income23.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher23.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over234,725
- Population under 1883,585
- Share under 1823.7 percent
- Population 65 and over56,776
- Share 65 and over16.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64212,594
- Civilian labor force168,725
- Unemployment rate5.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.6 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties17th of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included210th of 3,222
Nueces County is the 17th largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 3.1 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.7 percent against 16.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Nueces County
Is Nueces County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024353,125
- Census 2020 base population353,357
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.07 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024480
- Births, 20244,230
- Deaths, 20243,465
- Natural change, 2024765
- Net domestic migration, 2024-1,536
- Net international migration, 20241,248
- Total net migration, 2024-288
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-5,905
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1866th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.07 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Births exceeded deaths in 2024 by more than net migration took away, so the population grew even though more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Nueces County
Where are people moving to Nueces County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving7,373
- People arriving, from those returns13,340
- Tax returns filed by households leaving8,231
- Net household movement-858
- Adjusted gross income arriving$491.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-91.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$66,629
- Average income of a leaving household$70,813
- Largest single originSan Patricio County (648 households)
- Largest single destinationBexar County (870 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Patricio County | 648 | 1,193 | $32.7 m |
| Bexar County | 569 | 957 | $34.6 m |
| Harris County | 330 | 551 | $20.8 m |
| Jim Wells County | 259 | 516 | $12.4 m |
| Travis County | 224 | 364 | $16.1 m |
| Kleberg County | 209 | 433 | $8.4 m |
| Hidalgo County | 165 | 323 | $9.0 m |
| Escambia County | 146 | 177 | $7.7 m |
Households arriving report $4,184 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is San Patricio 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.
Nueces County
What is the Nueces County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$27.85 bn
- County GDP, 2023$26.83 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.8 percent
- GDP change over five years49.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes14th of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes207th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$78,910
Output grew 3.8 percent in the latest year and 49.3 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.
Nueces County
Employment by industry in Nueces County
- Covered employment, annual average163,763
- Establishments reporting8,568
- Average annual pay$60,476
- Average weekly wage$1,163
- Health care and social assistance, employment29,876
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$57,815
- Accommodation and food services, employment20,165
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$24,027
- Retail trade, employment17,257
- Retail trade, average annual pay$39,025
- Construction, employment16,307
- Construction, average annual pay$85,253
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment7,654
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment7,511
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 29,876 | 1,191 | $57,815 |
| Accommodation and food services | 20,165 | 929 | $24,027 |
| Retail trade | 17,257 | 1,018 | $39,025 |
| Construction | 16,307 | 664 | $85,253 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 7,654 | 438 | $49,003 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 7,511 | 913 | $86,325 |
| Manufacturing | 6,885 | 220 | $105,859 |
| Wholesale trade | 5,288 | 417 | $82,992 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 29,876 jobs, 18.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Nueces County
How many businesses are in Nueces County?
- Establishments, all industries8,111
- Employment at those establishments134,586
- Annual payroll$7.23 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.0
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.
Nueces County
Building permits in Nueces County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241,645
- Declared construction value permitted$445.1 m
- Single family units authorized1,523
- Multifamily units authorized122
- Multifamily share of units7.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$270,571
- Units authorized per 1,000 households12.5
Single-family homes are 92.6 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Nueces County
SBA loans in Nueces County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded174
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$127.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$734,171
- Median 7(a) approval$293,750
- 10th percentile approval$30,220
- 90th percentile approval$2,206,300
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,078
- Jobs per approval11.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active53
- Distinct industries receiving approvals86
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer20.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms36
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter127
- Franchise loans30
- Franchise share of approvals17.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (11)
- Most active lenderNortheast Bank (15)
- 504 approvals recorded56
- 504 gross approval dollars$42.8 m
- Average 504 approval$765,018
- Median 504 approval$447,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval8.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.6
- Most active CDCCapital Certified Development Corporation (27)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$170.6 m
The average approval of $734,171 sits well above the median of $293,750, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 20.7 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.
Nueces County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Nueces County
Do SBA loans in Nueces County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded19
- Paid in full18
- Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full18
- Status: Cancelled17
- Status: Exempt from disclosure130
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed8
Only 19 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.
Nueces County
SBA lending by place in Nueces County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Corpus Christi, approvals157
- Port Aransas, approvals11
- Robstown, approvals5
- Alice, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Corpus Christi | 157 | $116,203,400 |
| Port Aransas | 11 | $6,372,300 |
| Robstown | 5 | $170,000 |
| Alice | 1 | $5,000,000 |
Corpus Christi accounts for 157 approvals against 11 in Port Aransas. 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.
Nueces County
How large is Nueces County?
- Land area838 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties189th of 254
- Width, east to west42.1 mi
- Height, north to south30.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land421
- Establishments per square mile9.68
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.
Nueces County
Flood risk in Nueces County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Nueces County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 485494
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate90.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Nueces 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 Nueces County (community 485494), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Nueces 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 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 90.0 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 Nueces 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 Nueces County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024352,955
- Households131,160
- Average household size2.69
- Median household income$66,897
- Median age37.2
Common questions
Nueces County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Nueces County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 353,125 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 352,955, in 131,160 households, ranking 17th of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Nueces County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.07 percent since the 2020 census base of 353,357, to 353,125 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 4,230 births against 3,465 deaths, with net migration of -288. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Nueces County?
$66,897. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $208,800, which is 3.1 times income, and median gross rent is $1,283 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Nueces County?
8,111 establishments, employing 134,586 people with an annual payroll of $7.23 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 Nueces County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 29,876 jobs, 18.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 163,763 jobs at an average annual pay of $60,476, or $1,163 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Nueces County?
174 7(a) approvals totaling $127.7 m since FY2020, across 53 lenders, with a median approval of $293,750, plus 56 504 approvals worth $42.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Nueces County?
1,645 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $445.1 m. Multifamily was 7.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Nueces 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 Nueces County come from?
The largest single origin is San Patricio County, with 648 households. Arriving households report an average income of $66,629 against $70,813 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Nueces 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 Nueces 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.
Nueces County
Cities and places in Nueces.
16 Census places lie wholly or partly in Nueces 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corpus Christi | city | 317,419 | 157 | 95.7 percent here, 2.4 percent Kleberg County |
| Robstown | city | 10,236 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Aransas Pass | city | 8,972 | None recorded | 45.7 percent here, 30.9 percent San Patricio County, 23.4 percent Aransas County |
| Port Aransas | city | 3,268 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Bishop | city | 3,103 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| North San Pedro | CDP | 721 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Spring Gardens | CDP | 622 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Banquete | CDP | 619 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sandy Hollow-Escondidas | CDP | 539 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Driscoll | city | 511 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| La Paloma-Lost Creek | CDP | 439 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Agua Dulce | city | 251 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Tierra Grande | CDP | 161 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rancho Banquete | CDP | 131 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Petronila | city | 120 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Tierra Verde | CDP | 39 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 174 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Nueces County, the largest being Alice (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