Bremer County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Bremer County, Iowa had an estimated 25,328 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 24,985, across 435 square miles. County output reached $1.58 bn in 2024, 552 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 27 7(a) approvals worth $6.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Bremer County
How many people live in Bremer County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202425,204
- Households9,716
- Average household size2.59
- Median household income$86,784
- Median age39.0
- Median gross rent$921 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$219,600
- Home value to household income2.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income12.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher36.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over16,629
- Population under 185,654
- Share under 1822.4 percent
- Population 65 and over4,980
- Share 65 and over19.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6414,570
- Civilian labor force13,344
- Unemployment rate3.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over68.3 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties26th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1649th of 3,222
Bremer County is the 26th largest of 99 Iowa 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 22.4 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.
Bremer County
Is Bremer County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202425,328
- Census 2020 base population24,985
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.37 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202424
- Births, 2024235
- Deaths, 2024256
- Natural change, 2024-21
- Net domestic migration, 202419
- Net international migration, 202426
- Total net migration, 202445
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024320
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1375th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.37 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.
Bremer County
Where are people moving to Bremer County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving694
- People arriving, from those returns1,278
- Tax returns filed by households leaving645
- Net household movement49
- Adjusted gross income arriving$44.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$5.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$63,644
- Average income of a leaving household$59,589
- Largest single originBlack Hawk County (223 households)
- Largest single destinationBlack Hawk County (186 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hawk County | 223 | 414 | $14.0 m |
| Butler County | 51 | 90 | $3.3 m |
| Fayette County | 40 | 81 | $1.9 m |
| Chickasaw County | 38 | 72 | $2.2 m |
| Polk County | 23 | 38 | $1.3 m |
Households arriving report $4,055 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Black Hawk 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.
Bremer County
What is the Bremer County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.58 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.52 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.7 percent
- GDP change over five years35.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes27th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1470th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$62,717
Output grew 3.7 percent in the latest year and 35.9 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.
Bremer County
Employment by industry in Bremer County
- Covered employment, annual average9,685
- Establishments reporting749
- Average annual pay$52,555
- Average weekly wage$1,011
- Manufacturing, employment1,325
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$68,128
- Retail trade, employment1,232
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,496
- Finance and insurance, employment950
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$89,165
- Accommodation and food services, employment583
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$16,633
- Construction, employment447
- Wholesale trade, employment239
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,325 | 42 | $68,128 |
| Retail trade | 1,232 | 74 | $30,496 |
| Finance and insurance | 950 | 68 | $89,165 |
| Accommodation and food services | 583 | 44 | $16,633 |
| Construction | 447 | 62 | $59,502 |
| Wholesale trade | 239 | 44 | $70,304 |
| Other services, except public administration | 181 | 52 | $37,902 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 170 | 68 | $99,192 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,325 jobs, 13.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Bremer County
How many businesses are in Bremer County?
- Establishments, all industries552
- Employment at those establishments8,178
- Annual payroll$403.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.9
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.
Bremer County
Building permits in Bremer County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202437
- Declared construction value permitted$15.7 m
- Single family units authorized37
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$423,208
- 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.
Bremer County
SBA loans in Bremer County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded27
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$6.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$246,533
- Median 7(a) approval$117,000
- 10th percentile approval$43,400
- 90th percentile approval$855,880
- Largest single approval$1,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)151
- Jobs per approval5.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals18
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms7
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter18
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals3.7 percent
- Most active lenderFirst Bank (11)
- 504 approvals recorded8
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.6 m
- Average 504 approval$331,250
- Median 504 approval$249,500
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval7.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved23.0
- Most active CDCBlack Hawk Economic Development, Inc. (8)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$9.3 m
The average approval of $246,533 sits well above the median of $117,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 25.9 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.
Bremer County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Bremer County
Do SBA loans in Bremer County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded7
- Paid in full7
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure19
- Status: Paid in full7
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.
Bremer County
SBA lending by place in Bremer County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Waverly, approvals18
- Sumner, approvals3
- Janesville, approvals2
- Denver, approvals2
- Tripoli, approvals1
- Readlyn, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Waverly | 18 | $3,682,300 |
| Sumner | 3 | $379,000 |
| Janesville | 2 | $1,250,000 |
| Denver | 2 | $995,100 |
| Tripoli | 1 | $300,000 |
| Readlyn | 1 | $50,000 |
Waverly accounts for 18 approvals against 3 in Sumner. 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.
Bremer County
How large is Bremer County?
- Land area435 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties82nd of 99
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south18.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land58
- Establishments per square mile1.27
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.
Bremer County
Flood risk in Bremer County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Bremer County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190847
- 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 Bremer 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 Bremer County (community 190847), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Bremer 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 Bremer 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 Bremer County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202425,204
- Households9,716
- Average household size2.59
- Median household income$86,784
- Median age39.0
Common questions
Bremer County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Bremer County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 25,328 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 25,204, in 9,716 households, ranking 26th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Bremer County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.37 percent since the 2020 census base of 24,985, to 25,328 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 235 births against 256 deaths, with net migration of 45. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Bremer County?
$86,784. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $219,600, which is 2.5 times income, and median gross rent is $921 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Bremer County?
552 establishments, employing 8,178 people with an annual payroll of $403.3 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 Bremer County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,325 jobs, 13.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 9,685 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,555, or $1,011 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Bremer County?
27 7(a) approvals totaling $6.7 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $117,000, plus 8 504 approvals worth $2.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Bremer County?
37 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $15.7 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Bremer 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 Bremer County come from?
The largest single origin is Black Hawk County, with 223 households. Arriving households report an average income of $63,644 against $59,589 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Bremer 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 Bremer 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.
Bremer County
Cities and places in Bremer.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Bremer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waverly | city | 10,494 | 18 | Wholly in this county |
| Denver | city | 2,379 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Sumner | city | 2,106 | 3 | 96.6 percent here, 3.4 percent Fayette County |
| Tripoli | city | 1,156 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Janesville | city | 917 | 2 | 75.4 percent here, 24.6 percent Black Hawk County |
| Readlyn | city | 736 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Plainfield | city | 314 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Frederika | city | 236 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby