Rusk County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Rusk County, Texas had an estimated 53,391 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 52,216, across 924 square miles. County output reached $2.79 bn in 2024, 833 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 15 7(a) approvals worth $20.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Rusk County
How many people live in Rusk County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202452,842
- Households18,027
- Average household size2.93
- Median household income$68,658
- Median age39.1
- Median gross rent$1,015 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$171,300
- Home value to household income2.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over36,376
- Population under 1811,930
- Share under 1822.6 percent
- Population 65 and over9,225
- Share 65 and over17.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6431,687
- Civilian labor force22,476
- Unemployment rate4.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over54.9 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties65th of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included978th of 3,222
Rusk County is the 65th 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 22.6 percent against 17.5 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Rusk County
Is Rusk County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202453,391
- Census 2020 base population52,216
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.25 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024120
- Births, 2024568
- Deaths, 2024610
- Natural change, 2024-42
- Net domestic migration, 202486
- Net international migration, 202474
- Total net migration, 2024160
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,449
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1090th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.25 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.
Rusk County
Where are people moving to Rusk County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,511
- People arriving, from those returns3,033
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,341
- Net household movement170
- Adjusted gross income arriving$87.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$20.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$57,787
- Average income of a leaving household$49,884
- Largest single originGregg County (359 households)
- Largest single destinationGregg County (357 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gregg County | 359 | 733 | $21.6 m |
| Smith County | 154 | 291 | $7.1 m |
| Panola County | 52 | 102 | $2.6 m |
| Nacogdoches County | 49 | 95 | $2.3 m |
| Harrison County | 47 | 108 | $2.7 m |
| Tarrant County | 44 | 79 | $2.0 m |
| Dallas County | 40 | 75 | $1.3 m |
| Cherokee County | 36 | 72 | $1.0 m |
Households arriving report $7,903 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 Gregg 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.
Rusk County
What is the Rusk County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.79 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.03 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-8.0 percent
- GDP change over five years15.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes83rd of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1026th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$52,853
Output grew -8.0 percent in the latest year and 15.5 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.
Rusk County
Employment by industry in Rusk County
- Covered employment, annual average13,100
- Establishments reporting874
- Average annual pay$53,942
- Average weekly wage$1,037
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,652
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$39,159
- Manufacturing, employment1,310
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$58,360
- Retail trade, employment1,230
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,037
- Construction, employment1,165
- Construction, average annual pay$53,111
- Accommodation and food services, employment992
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment780
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,652 | 90 | $39,159 |
| Manufacturing | 1,310 | 37 | $58,360 |
| Retail trade | 1,230 | 94 | $35,037 |
| Construction | 1,165 | 78 | $53,111 |
| Accommodation and food services | 992 | 63 | $21,630 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 780 | 51 | $91,709 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 663 | 40 | $47,668 |
| Finance and insurance | 578 | 54 | $83,139 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,652 jobs, 12.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Rusk County
How many businesses are in Rusk County?
- Establishments, all industries833
- Employment at those establishments10,458
- Annual payroll$552.9 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents15.8
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.
Rusk County
Building permits in Rusk County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20243
- Declared construction value permitted$497,645
- Single family units authorized3
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$165,882
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.2
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.
Rusk County
SBA loans in Rusk County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded15
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$20.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,352,000
- Median 7(a) approval$1,000,000
- Largest single approval$4,750,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)282
- Jobs per approval18.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active11
- Distinct industries receiving approvals9
- Median 7(a) term219 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer46.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms7
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter5
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals13.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countBroilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (5)
- Most active lenderFirst Financial Bank (5)
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.1 m
- Average 504 approval$711,667
- Median 504 approval$332,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval45.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved63.2
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$22.4 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.
Rusk County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Rusk County
Do SBA loans in Rusk County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure11
- Status: Paid in full1
- Status: Cancelled3
Only 1 loan has 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.
Rusk County
SBA lending by place in Rusk County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Henderson, approvals6
- Garrison, approvals4
- Mount Enterprise, approvals2
- Kilgore, approvals1
- Overton, approvals1
- Longview, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Henderson | 6 | $8,053,000 |
| Garrison | 4 | $4,856,000 |
| Mount Enterprise | 2 | $6,097,000 |
| Kilgore | 1 | $785,000 |
| Overton | 1 | $339,000 |
| Longview | 1 | $150,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Rusk County
How large is Rusk County?
- Land area924 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties105th of 254
- Width, east to west31.2 mi
- Height, north to south38 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land57
- Establishments per square mile0.90
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.
Rusk County
Flood risk in Rusk County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Rusk County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 480993
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Rusk 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 Rusk County (community 480993), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Rusk 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 Rusk 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 Rusk County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202452,842
- Households18,027
- Average household size2.93
- Median household income$68,658
- Median age39.1
Common questions
Rusk County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Rusk County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 53,391 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 52,842, in 18,027 households, ranking 65th of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Rusk County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.25 percent since the 2020 census base of 52,216, to 53,391 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 568 births against 610 deaths, with net migration of 160. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Rusk County?
$68,658. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $171,300, which is 2.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,015 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Rusk County?
833 establishments, employing 10,458 people with an annual payroll of $552.9 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 Rusk County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,652 jobs, 12.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 13,100 jobs at an average annual pay of $53,942, or $1,037 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Rusk County?
15 7(a) approvals totaling $20.3 m since FY2020, across 11 lenders, with a median approval of $1,000,000, plus 3 504 approvals worth $2.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Rusk County?
3 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $497,645. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Rusk 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 Rusk County come from?
The largest single origin is Gregg County, with 359 households. Arriving households report an average income of $57,787 against $49,884 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Rusk 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 Rusk 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.
Rusk County
Cities and places in Rusk.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Rusk County. All 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilgore | city | 13,470 | 1 | 12.2 percent here, 87.8 percent Gregg County |
| Henderson | city | 13,385 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Cherokee | CDP | 3,093 | None recorded | 78.9 percent here, 21.1 percent Gregg County |
| Overton | city | 2,444 | 1 | 80.2 percent here, 19.8 percent Smith County |
| Tatum | city | 1,435 | None recorded | 66.1 percent here, 33.9 percent Panola County |
| New London | city | 1,085 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Easton | city | 429 | None recorded | 23.4 percent here, 76.6 percent Gregg County |
| Mount Enterprise | city | 357 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Reklaw | city | 255 | None recorded | 52.9 percent here, 47.1 percent Cherokee County |
A further 5 of the county's 15 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Rusk County, the largest being Garrison (4), Longview (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.