Carroll County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Carroll County, Illinois had an estimated 15,444 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 15,714, across 445 square miles. County output reached $761.5 m in 2024, 363 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 7 7(a) approvals worth $4.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Carroll County
How many people live in Carroll County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202415,576
- Households6,578
- Average household size2.37
- Median household income$60,758
- Median age45.4
- Median gross rent$818 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$114,500
- Home value to household income1.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree4.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over11,599
- Population under 182,759
- Share under 1817.7 percent
- Population 65 and over3,768
- Share 65 and over24.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,049
- Civilian labor force6,678
- Unemployment rate3.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over52.1 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties68th of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2123rd of 3,222
Carroll County is the 68th largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 1.9 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 24.2 percent against 17.7 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.
Carroll County
Is Carroll County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202415,444
- Census 2020 base population15,714
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.72 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-48
- Births, 2024119
- Deaths, 2024179
- Natural change, 2024-60
- Net domestic migration, 20240
- Net international migration, 202413
- Total net migration, 202413
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024151
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2424th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.72 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.
Carroll County
Where are people moving to Carroll County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving418
- People arriving, from those returns780
- Tax returns filed by households leaving392
- Net household movement26
- Adjusted gross income arriving$25.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-2.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$61,313
- Average income of a leaving household$72,824
- Largest single originStephenson County (45 households)
- Largest single destinationWhiteside County (50 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephenson County | 45 | 91 | $2.2 m |
| Whiteside County | 40 | 61 | $1.7 m |
| Ogle County | 26 | 49 | $1.4 m |
| Clinton County | 25 | 49 | $1.1 m |
| Cook County | 20 | 30 | $1.7 m |
| DuPage County | 20 | 41 | $2.5 m |
Households arriving report $11,511 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Stephenson 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.
Carroll County
What is the Carroll County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$761.5 m
- County GDP, 2023$752.7 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.2 percent
- GDP change over five years32.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Illinois areas BEA publishes71st of 102
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2064th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$48,887
Output grew 1.2 percent in the latest year and 32.8 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.
Carroll County
Employment by industry in Carroll County
- Covered employment, annual average3,955
- Establishments reporting405
- Average annual pay$46,933
- Average weekly wage$903
- Manufacturing, employment618
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$60,937
- Retail trade, employment405
- Retail trade, average annual pay$27,420
- Health care and social assistance, employment368
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$33,570
- Other services, except public administration, employment182
- Other services, except public administration, average annual pay$34,543
- Wholesale trade, employment160
- Finance and insurance, employment154
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 618 | 22 | $60,937 |
| Retail trade | 405 | 48 | $27,420 |
| Health care and social assistance | 368 | 20 | $33,570 |
| Other services, except public administration | 182 | 39 | $34,543 |
| Wholesale trade | 160 | 21 | $61,799 |
| Finance and insurance | 154 | 18 | $60,604 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 149 | 21 | $59,377 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 84 | 18 | $45,985 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 618 jobs, 15.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Carroll County
How many businesses are in Carroll County?
- Establishments, all industries363
- Employment at those establishments3,011
- Annual payroll$146.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.3
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.
Carroll County
Building permits in Carroll County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202425
- Declared construction value permitted$7.6 m
- Single family units authorized25
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$303,753
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.8
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.
Carroll County
SBA loans in Carroll County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded7
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$4.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$682,243
- Median 7(a) approval$320,000
- Largest single approval$3,189,200
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)186
- Jobs per approval26.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals6
- Median 7(a) term107 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer28.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter5
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals28.6 percent
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.7 m
- Average 504 approval$571,333
- Median 504 approval$657,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval20.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved36.2
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$6.5 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.
Carroll County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Carroll County
Do SBA loans in Carroll County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full0
- Charged off1
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure5
- Status: Charged off1
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.
Carroll County
SBA lending by place in Carroll County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Savanna, approvals4
- Mount Carroll, approvals1
- Allentown, approvals1
- Milledgeville, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Savanna | 4 | $4,094,200 |
| Mount Carroll | 1 | $514,500 |
| Allentown | 1 | $150,000 |
| Milledgeville | 1 | $17,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Carroll County
How large is Carroll County?
- Land area445 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties60th of 102
- Width, east to west32.4 mi
- Height, north to south18.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land35
- Establishments per square mile0.82
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.
Carroll County
Flood risk in Carroll County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Carroll County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 170019
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate83.3 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Carroll 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 Carroll County (community 170019), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Carroll 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. 83.3 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 Carroll 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 Carroll County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202415,576
- Households6,578
- Average household size2.37
- Median household income$60,758
- Median age45.4
Common questions
Carroll County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Carroll County, Illinois?
The Census Bureau estimates 15,444 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 15,576, in 6,578 households, ranking 68th of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Carroll County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.72 percent since the 2020 census base of 15,714, to 15,444 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 119 births against 179 deaths, with net migration of 13. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Carroll County?
$60,758. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $114,500, which is 1.9 times income, and median gross rent is $818 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Carroll County?
363 establishments, employing 3,011 people with an annual payroll of $146.4 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 Carroll County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 618 jobs, 15.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 3,955 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,933, or $903 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Carroll County?
7 7(a) approvals totaling $4.8 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $320,000, plus 3 504 approvals worth $1.7 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Carroll County?
25 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $7.6 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Carroll 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 Carroll County come from?
The largest single origin is Stephenson County, with 45 households. Arriving households report an average income of $61,313 against $72,824 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Carroll 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 Carroll 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.
Carroll County
Cities and places in Carroll.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Carroll 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savanna | city | 2,816 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Thomson | village | 1,757 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lanark | city | 1,541 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mount Carroll | city | 1,501 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Milledgeville | village | 1,218 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Carroll | CDP | 853 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Shannon | village | 772 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chadwick | village | 591 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 7 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Carroll County, the largest being Allentown (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.