Winnebago County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Winnebago County, Illinois had an estimated 283,790 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 285,371, across 513 square miles. County output reached $18.80 bn in 2024, 6,286 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 229 7(a) approvals worth $137.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Winnebago County
How many people live in Winnebago County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024283,292
- Households116,014
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$65,837
- Median age39.6
- Median gross rent$1,021 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$164,500
- Home value to household income2.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher25.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over193,227
- Population under 1866,531
- Share under 1823.5 percent
- Population 65 and over52,518
- Share 65 and over18.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64164,243
- Civilian labor force138,308
- Unemployment rate7.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.8 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties7th of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included255th of 3,222
Winnebago County is the 7th largest of 102 Illinois 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 23.5 percent against 18.5 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Winnebago County
Is Winnebago County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024283,790
- Census 2020 base population285,371
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.55 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20241,576
- Births, 20243,204
- Deaths, 20243,236
- Natural change, 2024-32
- Net domestic migration, 2024-88
- Net international migration, 20241,697
- Total net migration, 20241,609
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-4,782
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2034th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.55 percent of its population 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.
Winnebago County
Where are people moving to Winnebago County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving5,417
- People arriving, from those returns9,682
- Tax returns filed by households leaving6,027
- Net household movement-610
- Adjusted gross income arriving$273.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-108.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$50,453
- Average income of a leaving household$63,265
- Largest single originCook County (679 households)
- Largest single destinationBoone County (505 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County | 679 | 1,322 | $33.0 m |
| Boone County | 627 | 1,126 | $33.0 m |
| Rock County | 413 | 764 | $22.8 m |
| Kane County | 258 | 514 | $11.1 m |
| Ogle County | 215 | 360 | $11.2 m |
| Stephenson County | 200 | 352 | $8.7 m |
| McHenry County | 198 | 353 | $11.1 m |
| DuPage County | 142 | 278 | $7.9 m |
Households arriving report $12,812 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Cook 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.
Winnebago County
What is the Winnebago County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$18.80 bn
- County GDP, 2023$18.05 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.1 percent
- GDP change over five years35.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Illinois areas BEA publishes6th of 102
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes273rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$66,355
Output grew 4.1 percent in the latest year and 35.5 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.
Winnebago County
Employment by industry in Winnebago County
- Covered employment, annual average126,415
- Establishments reporting5,870
- Average annual pay$59,400
- Average weekly wage$1,142
- Health care and social assistance, employment23,841
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$71,006
- Manufacturing, employment22,458
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$77,653
- Retail trade, employment14,200
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,421
- Accommodation and food services, employment10,718
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$23,045
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment8,454
- Transportation and warehousing, employment7,298
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 23,841 | 544 | $71,006 |
| Manufacturing | 22,458 | 547 | $77,653 |
| Retail trade | 14,200 | 808 | $36,421 |
| Accommodation and food services | 10,718 | 584 | $23,045 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 8,454 | 312 | $43,134 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7,298 | 270 | $47,452 |
| Wholesale trade | 4,613 | 296 | $78,459 |
| Construction | 4,548 | 537 | $85,458 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 23,841 jobs, 18.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Winnebago County
How many businesses are in Winnebago County?
- Establishments, all industries6,286
- Employment at those establishments117,137
- Annual payroll$6.48 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.2
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.
Winnebago County
Building permits in Winnebago County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024284
- Declared construction value permitted$75.1 m
- Single family units authorized248
- Multifamily units authorized36
- Multifamily share of units12.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$264,558
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.4
Single-family homes are 87.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Winnebago County
SBA loans in Winnebago County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded229
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$137.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$598,801
- Median 7(a) approval$252,000
- 10th percentile approval$45,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,332,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)3,560
- Jobs per approval15.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active39
- Distinct industries receiving approvals91
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer14.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms33
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter176
- Franchise loans40
- Franchise share of approvals17.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (12)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (49)
- 504 approvals recorded160
- 504 gross approval dollars$107.0 m
- Average 504 approval$668,963
- Median 504 approval$363,500
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval12.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved19.1
- Most active CDCRockford Local Development Corporation (138)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$244.2 m
The average approval of $598,801 sits well above the median of $252,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 14.4 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.
Winnebago County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Winnebago County
Do SBA loans in Winnebago County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded46
- Paid in full45
- Charged off1
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans2.2 percent
- Status: Cancelled35
- Status: Exempt from disclosure133
- Status: Paid in full45
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed15
- Status: Charged off1
Of the 46 loans that have reached a final outcome, 2.2 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
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.
Winnebago County
SBA lending by place in Winnebago County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending14
- Rockford, approvals142
- Loves Park, approvals37
- Machesney Park, approvals19
- Roscoe, approvals11
- South Beloit, approvals6
- Cherry Valley, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Rockford | 142 | $91,360,500 |
| Loves Park | 37 | $20,578,500 |
| Machesney Park | 19 | $6,257,000 |
| Roscoe | 11 | $4,012,500 |
| South Beloit | 6 | $4,127,300 |
| Cherry Valley | 3 | $1,536,500 |
| Rockton | 2 | $4,207,000 |
| Belvidere | 2 | $692,600 |
| 6 other borrower cities | 7 | $4,353,500 |
Rockford accounts for 142 approvals against 37 in Loves Park. 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.
Winnebago County
How large is Winnebago County?
- Land area513 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties51st of 102
- Width, east to west23.6 mi
- Height, north to south24.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land552
- Establishments per square mile12.25
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.
Winnebago County
Flood risk in Winnebago County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Winnebago County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 170720
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book11
- Of those, participating in the NFIP11
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Winnebago 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 Winnebago County (community 170720), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Winnebago 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. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 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 Winnebago 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 Winnebago County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024283,292
- Households116,014
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$65,837
- Median age39.6
Common questions
Winnebago County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Winnebago County, Illinois?
The Census Bureau estimates 283,790 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 283,292, in 116,014 households, ranking 7th of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Winnebago County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.55 percent since the 2020 census base of 285,371, to 283,790 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 3,204 births against 3,236 deaths, with net migration of 1,609. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Winnebago County?
$65,837. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $164,500, which is 2.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,021 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Winnebago County?
6,286 establishments, employing 117,137 people with an annual payroll of $6.48 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Winnebago County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 23,841 jobs, 18.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 126,415 jobs at an average annual pay of $59,400, or $1,142 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Winnebago County?
229 7(a) approvals totaling $137.1 m since FY2020, across 39 lenders, with a median approval of $252,000, plus 160 504 approvals worth $107.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Winnebago County get paid back?
Of the 46 loans that have reached a final outcome, 45 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge-off rate of 2.2 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Winnebago County?
284 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $75.1 m. Multifamily was 12.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Winnebago 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 Winnebago County come from?
The largest single origin is Cook County, with 679 households. Arriving households report an average income of $50,453 against $63,265 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Winnebago 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 Winnebago 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.
Winnebago County
Cities and places in Winnebago.
14 Census places lie wholly or partly in Winnebago 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford | city | 147,521 | 142 | Wholly in this county |
| Loves Park | city | 23,502 | 37 | 96.4 percent here, 3.6 percent Boone County |
| Machesney Park | village | 22,630 | 19 | Wholly in this county |
| Roscoe | village | 10,706 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Rockton | village | 7,974 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| South Beloit | city | 7,946 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Cherry Valley | village | 3,749 | 3 | 90.9 percent here, 9.1 percent Boone County |
| Winnebago | village | 2,981 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Summerset | CDP | 2,364 | None recorded | 55.6 percent here, 44.4 percent Stephenson County |
| Pecatonica | village | 2,024 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Durand | village | 1,592 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Westlake Village | CDP | 1,414 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| New Milford | village | 1,194 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Argyle | CDP | 324 | None recorded | 41.6 percent here, 58.4 percent Boone County |
A further 7 of the county's 229 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Winnebago County, the largest being Belvidere (2), Poplar Grove (2), Stillman Valley (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