HomeWashingtonSan Juan County
San Juan County, Washington: commercial real estate data.
San Juan County, Washington had an estimated 18,668 residents on July 1, 2024, up 5.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 17,786, across 174 square miles. County output reached $1.23 bn in 2024, 1,040 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 33 7(a) approvals worth $9.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
San Juan County
How many people live in San Juan County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202418,478
- Households9,015
- Average household size2.05
- Median household income$84,800
- Median age57.0
- Median gross rent$1,512 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$799,200
- Home value to household income9.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income21.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher53.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree23.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over15,340
- Population under 182,323
- Share under 1812.6 percent
- Population 65 and over6,656
- Share 65 and over36.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,499
- Civilian labor force8,678
- Unemployment rate3.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over53.7 percent
- Rank by population among Washington counties32nd of 39
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1962nd of 3,222
San Juan County is the 32nd largest of 39 Washington counties by population. A median home costs 9.4 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 36.0 percent against 12.6 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.
San Juan County
Is San Juan County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202418,668
- Census 2020 base population17,786
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.96 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202463
- Births, 2024104
- Deaths, 2024115
- Natural change, 2024-11
- Net domestic migration, 202421
- Net international migration, 202454
- Total net migration, 202475
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024892
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents539th of 3,144
The county has grown 4.96 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.
San Juan County
Where are people moving to San Juan County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving647
- People arriving, from those returns1,034
- Tax returns filed by households leaving607
- Net household movement40
- Adjusted gross income arriving$100.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$5.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$155,104
- Average income of a leaving household$155,708
- Largest single originKing County (132 households)
- Largest single destinationKing County (92 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| King County | 132 | 239 | $28.9 m |
| Whatcom County | 37 | 46 | $2.4 m |
| Snohomish County | 33 | 56 | $2.5 m |
| Los Angeles County | 26 | 39 | $2.9 m |
| Skagit County | 24 | 34 | $1.7 m |
Households arriving report $604 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is King 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.
San Juan County
What is the San Juan County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.23 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.18 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.3 percent
- GDP change over five years46.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Washington areas BEA publishes30th of 39
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1682nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$66,750
Output grew 4.3 percent in the latest year and 46.9 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.
San Juan County
Employment by industry in San Juan County
- Covered employment, annual average6,097
- Establishments reporting1,049
- Average annual pay$53,170
- Average weekly wage$1,023
- Accommodation and food services, employment984
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$38,303
- Retail trade, employment764
- Retail trade, average annual pay$40,781
- Construction, employment736
- Construction, average annual pay$56,855
- Health care and social assistance, employment366
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$48,370
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment331
- Other services, except public administration, employment267
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 984 | 98 | $38,303 |
| Retail trade | 764 | 93 | $40,781 |
| Construction | 736 | 231 | $56,855 |
| Health care and social assistance | 366 | 53 | $48,370 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 331 | 115 | $84,632 |
| Other services, except public administration | 267 | 79 | $48,945 |
| Manufacturing | 228 | 40 | $49,439 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 219 | 39 | $37,225 |
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 984 jobs, 16.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
San Juan County
How many businesses are in San Juan County?
- Establishments, all industries1,040
- Employment at those establishments5,378
- Annual payroll$275.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents56.3
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.
San Juan County
Building permits in San Juan County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024100
- Declared construction value permitted$46.6 m
- Single family units authorized88
- Multifamily units authorized12
- Multifamily share of units12.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$466,456
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.1
Single-family homes are 88.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
San Juan County
SBA loans in San Juan County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded33
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$9.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$271,742
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$15,000
- 90th percentile approval$920,400
- Largest single approval$1,581,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)78
- Jobs per approval2.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active16
- Distinct industries receiving approvals29
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer18.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter27
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderBanner Bank (9)
- 504 approvals recorded6
- 504 gross approval dollars$7.4 m
- Average 504 approval$1,233,000
- Median 504 approval$1,232,500
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval7.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved5.9
- Most active CDCAmeritrust CDC (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$16.4 m
The average approval of $271,742 sits well above the median of $100,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 18.2 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.
San Juan County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in San Juan County
Do SBA loans in San Juan County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded7
- Paid in full7
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure24
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 7 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.
San Juan County
SBA lending by place in San Juan County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Friday Harbor, approvals15
- Eastsound, approvals15
- Orcas, approvals2
- Decatur Island, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Friday Harbor | 15 | $4,966,500 |
| Eastsound | 15 | $2,859,000 |
| Orcas | 2 | $1,096,000 |
| Decatur Island | 1 | $46,000 |
Friday Harbor accounts for 15 approvals against 15 in Eastsound. 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.
San Juan County
How large is San Juan County?
- Land area174 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Washington counties39th of 39
- Width, east to west22.7 mi
- Height, north to south21 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary0
- Residents per square mile of land106
- Establishments per square mile5.98
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.
San Juan County
Flood risk in San Juan County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community San Juan County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 530149
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book2
- Of those, participating in the NFIP1
- NFIP participation rate50.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in San Juan 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 San Juan County (community 530149), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places San Juan 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. 50.0 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 San Juan 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 San Juan County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202418,478
- Households9,015
- Average household size2.05
- Median household income$84,800
- Median age57.0
Common questions
San Juan County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in San Juan County, Washington?
The Census Bureau estimates 18,668 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 18,478, in 9,015 households, ranking 32nd of 39 Washington counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is San Juan County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.96 percent since the 2020 census base of 17,786, to 18,668 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 104 births against 115 deaths, with net migration of 75. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in San Juan County?
$84,800. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $799,200, which is 9.4 times income, and median gross rent is $1,512 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in San Juan County?
1,040 establishments, employing 5,378 people with an annual payroll of $275.8 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 San Juan County?
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 984 jobs, 16.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 6,097 jobs at an average annual pay of $53,170, or $1,023 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in San Juan County?
33 7(a) approvals totaling $9.0 m since FY2020, across 16 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 6 504 approvals worth $7.4 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in San Juan County?
100 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $46.6 m. Multifamily was 12.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for San Juan 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 San Juan County come from?
The largest single origin is King County, with 132 households. Arriving households report an average income of $155,104 against $155,708 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for San Juan 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 San Juan 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.
San Juan County
Cities and places in San Juan.
2 Census places lie wholly or partly in San Juan County. All 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Harbor | town | 2,728 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Roche Harbor | CDP | 778 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 18 of the county's 33 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in San Juan County, the largest being Eastsound (15), Orcas (2), Decatur Island (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
Sharing a boundary with San Juan.
No county-equivalent shares a land boundary with San Juan County.