Smyth County, Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Smyth County, Virginia had an estimated 29,137 residents on July 1, 2024, down 2.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 29,793, across 451 square miles. County output reached $1.35 bn in 2024, 499 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 12 7(a) approvals worth $6.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Smyth County
How many people live in Smyth County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202429,420
- Households12,659
- Average household size2.32
- Median household income$49,883
- Median age46.4
- Median gross rent$731 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$139,600
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher16.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over21,648
- Population under 185,665
- Share under 1819.3 percent
- Population 65 and over6,762
- Share 65 and over23.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6416,993
- Civilian labor force12,217
- Unemployment rate3.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over51.4 percent
- Rank by population among Virginia counties59th of 133
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1491st of 3,222
Smyth County is the 59th largest of 133 Virginia counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.0 percent against 19.3 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.
Smyth County
Is Smyth County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202429,137
- Census 2020 base population29,793
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.20 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-50
- Births, 2024269
- Deaths, 2024548
- Natural change, 2024-279
- Net domestic migration, 2024212
- Net international migration, 202418
- Total net migration, 2024230
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024479
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2550th of 3,144
The county has lost 2.20 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Smyth County
Where are people moving to Smyth County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving502
- People arriving, from those returns890
- Tax returns filed by households leaving467
- Net household movement35
- Adjusted gross income arriving$26.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$3.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$51,875
- Average income of a leaving household$48,240
- Largest single originWashington County (140 households)
- Largest single destinationWashington County (135 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 140 | 259 | $5.5 m |
| Wythe County | 55 | 115 | $2.3 m |
Households arriving report $3,635 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 Washington 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.
Smyth County
What is the Smyth County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.35 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.31 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.9 percent
- GDP change over five years29.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Virginia areas BEA publishes58th of 105
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1597th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$45,869
Output grew 2.9 percent in the latest year and 29.7 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.
Smyth County
Employment by industry in Smyth County
- Covered employment, annual average11,649
- Establishments reporting816
- Average annual pay$48,271
- Average weekly wage$928
- Manufacturing, employment3,273
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$57,539
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,159
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$50,406
- Retail trade, employment1,142
- Retail trade, average annual pay$29,060
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment838
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$36,748
- Construction, employment389
- Other services, except public administration, employment175
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,273 | 37 | $57,539 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,159 | 290 | $50,406 |
| Retail trade | 1,142 | 103 | $29,060 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 838 | 20 | $36,748 |
| Construction | 389 | 46 | $55,982 |
| Other services, except public administration | 175 | 51 | $35,374 |
| Educational services | 92 | 3 | $31,517 |
| Finance and insurance | 89 | 23 | $52,971 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,273 jobs, 28.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Smyth County
How many businesses are in Smyth County?
- Establishments, all industries499
- Employment at those establishments8,169
- Annual payroll$389.6 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.0
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.
Smyth County
Building permits in Smyth County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202440
- Declared construction value permitted$11.9 m
- Single family units authorized40
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$297,778
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.2
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.
Smyth County
SBA loans in Smyth County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded12
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$6.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$550,175
- Median 7(a) approval$300,000
- Largest single approval$1,335,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)94
- Jobs per approval7.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals7
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter9
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals25.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (3)
- Most active lenderThe First Bank and Trust Company (7)
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Smyth County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Smyth County
Do SBA loans in Smyth County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure5
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.
Smyth County
SBA lending by place in Smyth County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Chilhowie, approvals7
- Marion, approvals5
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Chilhowie | 7 | $3,152,000 |
| Marion | 5 | $3,450,100 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Smyth County
How large is Smyth County?
- Land area451 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Virginia counties35th of 133
- Width, east to west31.8 mi
- Height, north to south25.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land65
- Establishments per square mile1.11
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.
Smyth County
Flood risk in Smyth County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Smyth County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 510184
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Smyth County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Smyth County (community 510184), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Smyth County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 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 Smyth 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 Smyth County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202429,420
- Households12,659
- Average household size2.32
- Median household income$49,883
- Median age46.4
Common questions
Smyth County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Smyth County, Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 29,137 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 29,420, in 12,659 households, ranking 59th of 133 Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Smyth County's population growing?
The population has fallen 2.20 percent since the 2020 census base of 29,793, to 29,137 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 269 births against 548 deaths, with net migration of 230. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Smyth County?
$49,883. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $139,600, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $731 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Smyth County?
499 establishments, employing 8,169 people with an annual payroll of $389.6 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 Smyth County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,273 jobs, 28.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 11,649 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,271, or $928 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Smyth County?
12 7(a) approvals totaling $6.6 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $300,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Smyth County?
40 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $11.9 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Smyth County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Smyth County come from?
The largest single origin is Washington County, with 140 households. Arriving households report an average income of $51,875 against $48,240 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Smyth 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 Smyth 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.
Smyth County
Cities and places in Smyth.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Smyth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion | town | 5,670 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Chilhowie | town | 2,428 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Saltville | town | 2,198 | None recorded | 78.0 percent here, 22.0 percent Washington County |
| Adwolf | CDP | 1,046 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Atkins | CDP | 985 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Seven Mile Ford | CDP | 644 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sugar Grove | CDP | 563 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Allison Gap | CDP | 526 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| McMullin | CDP | 324 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby