Stephenson County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Stephenson County, Illinois had an estimated 43,088 residents on July 1, 2024, down 3.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 44,700, across 565 square miles. County output reached $2.49 bn in 2024, 1,003 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 21 7(a) approvals worth $12.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Stephenson County
How many people live in Stephenson County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202443,768
- Households19,358
- Average household size2.26
- Median household income$64,043
- Median age45.3
- Median gross rent$798 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$134,900
- Home value to household income2.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over31,205
- Population under 189,296
- Share under 1821.2 percent
- Population 65 and over10,671
- Share 65 and over24.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6423,801
- Civilian labor force21,486
- Unemployment rate4.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.3 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties33rd of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1127th of 3,222
Stephenson County is the 33rd largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 2.1 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 24.4 percent against 21.2 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.
Stephenson County
Is Stephenson County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202443,088
- Census 2020 base population44,700
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.61 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-259
- Births, 2024350
- Deaths, 2024603
- Natural change, 2024-253
- Net domestic migration, 2024-74
- Net international migration, 202469
- Total net migration, 2024-5
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-726
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2840th of 3,144
The county has lost 3.61 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. The population fell in 2024 from both sources: deaths exceeded births and more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Stephenson County
Where are people moving to Stephenson County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving875
- People arriving, from those returns1,523
- Tax returns filed by households leaving994
- Net household movement-119
- Adjusted gross income arriving$43.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-22.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$49,710
- Average income of a leaving household$66,543
- Largest single originWinnebago County (168 households)
- Largest single destinationWinnebago County (200 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago County | 168 | 315 | $8.1 m |
| Ogle County | 60 | 111 | $3.9 m |
| Cook County | 57 | 87 | $2.3 m |
| Green County | 45 | 75 | $1.6 m |
| Jo Daviess County | 43 | 73 | $2.3 m |
| Carroll County | 36 | 57 | $1.6 m |
| Rock County | 27 | 51 | $1.2 m |
| Dane County | 22 | 36 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $16,833 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Winnebago 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.
Stephenson County
What is the Stephenson County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.49 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.34 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.2 percent
- GDP change over five years32.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Illinois areas BEA publishes31st of 102
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1108th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$56,782
Output grew 6.2 percent in the latest year and 32.2 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.
Stephenson County
Employment by industry in Stephenson County
- Covered employment, annual average17,367
- Establishments reporting1,019
- Average annual pay$55,932
- Average weekly wage$1,076
- Manufacturing, employment3,278
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$67,497
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,550
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$57,207
- Retail trade, employment1,651
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,523
- Construction, employment1,606
- Construction, average annual pay$100,417
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment1,136
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,003
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,278 | 65 | $67,497 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,550 | 67 | $57,207 |
| Retail trade | 1,651 | 118 | $33,523 |
| Construction | 1,606 | 109 | $100,417 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,136 | 56 | $42,848 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,003 | 82 | $20,641 |
| Finance and insurance | 697 | 60 | $72,267 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 588 | 43 | $47,337 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,278 jobs, 18.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Stephenson County
How many businesses are in Stephenson County?
- Establishments, all industries1,003
- Employment at those establishments15,626
- Annual payroll$899.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.9
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.
Stephenson County
Building permits in Stephenson County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20245
- Declared construction value permitted$1.1 m
- Single family units authorized5
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$226,000
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.3
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.
Stephenson County
SBA loans in Stephenson County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded21
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$12.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$596,957
- Median 7(a) approval$50,000
- 10th percentile approval$10,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,730,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)155
- Jobs per approval7.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active8
- Distinct industries receiving approvals17
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer19.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter16
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals23.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFitness and Recreational Sports Centers (3)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (10)
- 504 approvals recorded15
- 504 gross approval dollars$10.8 m
- Average 504 approval$718,133
- Median 504 approval$444,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval35.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved49.6
- Most active CDCRockford Local Development Corporation (12)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$23.3 m
The average approval of $596,957 sits well above the median of $50,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 19.0 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.
Stephenson County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Stephenson County
Do SBA loans in Stephenson County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled2
- Status: Exempt from disclosure13
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 5 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.
Stephenson County
SBA lending by place in Stephenson County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Freeport, approvals18
- Lakewood, approvals1
- Pearl City, approvals1
- Davis, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Freeport | 18 | $7,016,100 |
| Lakewood | 1 | $5,000,000 |
| Pearl City | 1 | $500,000 |
| Davis | 1 | $20,000 |
Freeport accounts for 18 approvals against 1 in Lakewood. 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.
Stephenson County
How large is Stephenson County?
- Land area565 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties43rd of 102
- Width, east to west27 mi
- Height, north to south21.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land77
- Establishments per square mile1.78
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.
Stephenson County
Flood risk in Stephenson County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Stephenson County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 170639
- 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 Stephenson 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 Stephenson County (community 170639), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Stephenson 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 Stephenson 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 Stephenson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202443,768
- Households19,358
- Average household size2.26
- Median household income$64,043
- Median age45.3
Common questions
Stephenson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Stephenson County, Illinois?
The Census Bureau estimates 43,088 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 43,768, in 19,358 households, ranking 33rd of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Stephenson County's population growing?
The population has fallen 3.61 percent since the 2020 census base of 44,700, to 43,088 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 350 births against 603 deaths, with net migration of -5. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Stephenson County?
$64,043. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $134,900, which is 2.1 times income, and median gross rent is $798 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Stephenson County?
1,003 establishments, employing 15,626 people with an annual payroll of $899.8 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 Stephenson County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,278 jobs, 18.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 17,367 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,932, or $1,076 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Stephenson County?
21 7(a) approvals totaling $12.5 m since FY2020, across 8 lenders, with a median approval of $50,000, plus 15 504 approvals worth $10.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Stephenson County?
5 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.1 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Stephenson 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 Stephenson County come from?
The largest single origin is Winnebago County, with 168 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,710 against $66,543 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Stephenson 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 Stephenson 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.
Stephenson County
Cities and places in Stephenson.
14 Census places lie wholly or partly in Stephenson County. All 14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freeport | city | 23,505 | 18 | Wholly in this county |
| Lena | village | 2,761 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Summerset | CDP | 2,364 | None recorded | 44.4 percent here, 55.6 percent Winnebago County |
| Orangeville | village | 1,045 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Willow Lake | CDP | 764 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pearl City | village | 745 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Cedarville | village | 690 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dakota | village | 645 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Davis | village | 535 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| German Valley | village | 467 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rock City | village | 441 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Winslow | village | 338 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ridott | village | 130 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Baileyville | CDP | 99 | None recorded | 26.0 percent here, 74.0 percent Ogle County |
A further 1 of the county's 21 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Stephenson County, the largest being Lakewood (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