Benton County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Benton County, Iowa had an estimated 25,799 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 25,584, across 716 square miles. County output reached $1.14 bn in 2024, 535 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 17 7(a) approvals worth $5.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Benton County
How many people live in Benton County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202425,724
- Households10,202
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$86,962
- Median age43.1
- Median gross rent$826 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$208,200
- Home value to household income2.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income11.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher25.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over18,015
- Population under 185,881
- Share under 1822.9 percent
- Population 65 and over5,093
- Share 65 and over19.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6414,750
- Civilian labor force13,421
- Unemployment rate2.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.6 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties25th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1627th of 3,222
Benton County is the 25th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.4 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.9 percent against 19.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Benton County
Is Benton County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202425,799
- Census 2020 base population25,584
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.84 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202430
- Births, 2024240
- Deaths, 2024267
- Natural change, 2024-27
- Net domestic migration, 202439
- Net international migration, 202419
- Total net migration, 202458
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024261
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1535th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.84 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.
Benton County
Where are people moving to Benton County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving652
- People arriving, from those returns1,173
- Tax returns filed by households leaving643
- Net household movement9
- Adjusted gross income arriving$35.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$131,000
- Average income of an arriving household$55,107
- Average income of a leaving household$55,675
- Largest single originLinn County (305 households)
- Largest single destinationLinn County (246 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linn County | 305 | 554 | $17.3 m |
| Iowa County | 37 | 48 | $1.6 m |
| Black Hawk County | 32 | 58 | $2.3 m |
| Johnson County | 31 | 62 | $1.8 m |
| Tama County | 27 | 41 | $1.0 m |
Households arriving report $568 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Linn 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.
Benton County
What is the Benton County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.14 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.13 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.0 percent
- GDP change over five years26.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes45th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1742nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$44,205
Output grew 1.0 percent in the latest year and 26.3 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.
Benton County
Employment by industry in Benton County
- Covered employment, annual average6,069
- Establishments reporting720
- Average annual pay$54,216
- Average weekly wage$1,043
- Retail trade, employment767
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,321
- Manufacturing, employment753
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$56,950
- Construction, employment420
- Construction, average annual pay$67,235
- Wholesale trade, employment366
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$68,167
- Accommodation and food services, employment303
- Finance and insurance, employment197
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 767 | 78 | $31,321 |
| Manufacturing | 753 | 33 | $56,950 |
| Construction | 420 | 76 | $67,235 |
| Wholesale trade | 366 | 56 | $68,167 |
| Accommodation and food services | 303 | 34 | $15,112 |
| Finance and insurance | 197 | 40 | $73,319 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 121 | 6 | $10,186 |
| Other services, except public administration | 115 | 45 | $38,185 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 767 jobs, 12.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Benton County
How many businesses are in Benton County?
- Establishments, all industries535
- Employment at those establishments4,296
- Annual payroll$202.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.8
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.
Benton County
Building permits in Benton County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202443
- Declared construction value permitted$13.8 m
- Single family units authorized33
- Multifamily units authorized10
- Multifamily share of units23.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$319,990
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.2
Single-family homes are 76.7 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Benton County
SBA loans in Benton County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded17
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$5.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$314,618
- Median 7(a) approval$115,000
- Largest single approval$1,957,300
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)68
- Jobs per approval4.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active10
- Distinct industries receiving approvals15
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer23.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter13
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals5.9 percent
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (5)
- 504 approvals recorded9
- 504 gross approval dollars$9.7 m
- Average 504 approval$1,080,444
- Median 504 approval$608,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval34.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved31.7
- Most active CDCBlack Hawk Economic Development, Inc. (8)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$15.1 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.
Benton County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Benton County
Do SBA loans in Benton County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded7
- Paid in full6
- Charged off1
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Exempt from disclosure8
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
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.
Benton County
SBA lending by place in Benton County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending8
- Vinton, approvals7
- Shellsburg, approvals3
- Walford, approvals2
- Belle Plaine, approvals1
- Blairstown, approvals1
- La Porte City, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Vinton | 7 | $3,332,300 |
| Shellsburg | 3 | $474,000 |
| Walford | 2 | $320,000 |
| Belle Plaine | 1 | $725,000 |
| Blairstown | 1 | $260,000 |
| La Porte City | 1 | $115,000 |
| Norway | 1 | $75,000 |
| Atkins | 1 | $47,200 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Benton County
How large is Benton County?
- Land area716 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties11th of 99
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south30.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land36
- Establishments per square mile0.75
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.
Benton County
Flood risk in Benton County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Benton County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190845
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book13
- Of those, participating in the NFIP12
- NFIP participation rate92.3 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Benton 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 Benton County (community 190845), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Benton 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. 92.3 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 Benton 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 Benton County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202425,724
- Households10,202
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$86,962
- Median age43.1
Common questions
Benton County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Benton County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 25,799 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 25,724, in 10,202 households, ranking 25th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Benton County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.84 percent since the 2020 census base of 25,584, to 25,799 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 240 births against 267 deaths, with net migration of 58. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Benton County?
$86,962. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $208,200, which is 2.4 times income, and median gross rent is $826 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Benton County?
535 establishments, employing 4,296 people with an annual payroll of $202.1 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 Benton County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 767 jobs, 12.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 6,069 jobs at an average annual pay of $54,216, or $1,043 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Benton County?
17 7(a) approvals totaling $5.3 m since FY2020, across 10 lenders, with a median approval of $115,000, plus 9 504 approvals worth $9.7 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Benton County?
43 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $13.8 m. Multifamily was 23.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Benton 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 Benton County come from?
The largest single origin is Linn County, with 305 households. Arriving households report an average income of $55,107 against $55,675 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Benton 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 Benton 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.
Benton County
Cities and places in Benton.
15 Census places lie wholly or partly in Benton County. All 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vinton | city | 4,948 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Belle Plaine | city | 2,380 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Atkins | city | 2,225 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Urbana | city | 1,639 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Walford | city | 1,329 | 2 | 46.1 percent here, 53.9 percent Linn County |
| Newhall | city | 996 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Shellsburg | city | 868 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Keystone | city | 674 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Blairstown | city | 654 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Van Horne | city | 612 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Norway | city | 546 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Garrison | city | 286 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Watkins | CDP | 201 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mount Auburn | city | 172 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Luzerne | city | 120 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 17 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Benton County, the largest being La Porte City (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.
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