Butler County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Butler County, Iowa had an estimated 14,156 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,336, across 580 square miles. County output reached $705.3 m in 2024, 324 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 8 7(a) approvals worth $2.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Butler County
How many people live in Butler County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,268
- Households5,863
- Average household size2.43
- Median household income$73,715
- Median age43.7
- Median gross rent$812 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$165,400
- Home value to household income2.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over10,120
- Population under 183,193
- Share under 1822.4 percent
- Population 65 and over3,306
- Share 65 and over23.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 647,769
- Civilian labor force7,340
- Unemployment rate3.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over66.3 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties55th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2206th of 3,222
Butler County is the 55th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.2 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.2 percent against 22.4 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.
Butler County
Is Butler County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202414,156
- Census 2020 base population14,336
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.26 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-69
- Births, 2024153
- Deaths, 2024189
- Natural change, 2024-36
- Net domestic migration, 2024-66
- Net international migration, 202434
- Total net migration, 2024-32
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-94
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2277th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.26 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.
Butler County
Where are people moving to Butler County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving285
- People arriving, from those returns497
- Tax returns filed by households leaving327
- Net household movement-42
- Adjusted gross income arriving$15.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-1.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$53,958
- Average income of a leaving household$50,239
- Largest single originBlack Hawk County (70 households)
- Largest single destinationBlack Hawk County (72 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hawk County | 70 | 117 | $3.7 m |
| Bremer County | 56 | 115 | $3.7 m |
Households arriving report $3,719 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.
Butler County
What is the Butler County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$705.3 m
- County GDP, 2023$758.8 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-7.1 percent
- GDP change over five years63.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes72nd of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2130th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$49,431
Output grew -7.1 percent in the latest year and 63.8 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.
Butler County
Employment by industry in Butler County
- Covered employment, annual average3,691
- Establishments reporting424
- Average annual pay$53,211
- Average weekly wage$1,023
- Manufacturing, employment1,014
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$70,038
- Retail trade, employment392
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,048
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment237
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$75,772
- Wholesale trade, employment154
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$71,008
- Construction, employment140
- Accommodation and food services, employment103
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,014 | 30 | $70,038 |
| Retail trade | 392 | 48 | $33,048 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 237 | 18 | $75,772 |
| Wholesale trade | 154 | 33 | $71,008 |
| Construction | 140 | 38 | $58,079 |
| Accommodation and food services | 103 | 17 | $8,475 |
| Finance and insurance | 100 | 26 | $61,402 |
| Other services, except public administration | 49 | 25 | $46,160 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,014 jobs, 27.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Butler County
How many businesses are in Butler County?
- Establishments, all industries324
- Employment at those establishments2,602
- Annual payroll$125.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.7
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.
Butler County
Building permits in Butler County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202427
- Declared construction value permitted$8.3 m
- Single family units authorized27
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$305,838
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.6
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.
Butler County
SBA loans in Butler County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded8
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$2.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$290,238
- Median 7(a) approval$203,000
- Largest single approval$567,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)36
- Jobs per approval4.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active4
- Distinct industries receiving approvals7
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter5
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderFarmers State Bank (4)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$710,000
- Average 504 approval$355,000
- Median 504 approval$355,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval8.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved23.9
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$3.0 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.
Butler County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Butler County
Do SBA loans in Butler County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure5
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 2 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.
Butler County
SBA lending by place in Butler County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Allison, approvals2
- Shell Rock, approvals2
- Aplington, approvals1
- Parkersburg, approvals1
- Greene, approvals1
- New Hartford, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Allison | 2 | $659,800 |
| Shell Rock | 2 | $222,200 |
| Aplington | 1 | $567,000 |
| Parkersburg | 1 | $487,900 |
| Greene | 1 | $256,000 |
| New Hartford | 1 | $129,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Butler County
How large is Butler County?
- Land area580 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties29th of 99
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south24.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land25
- Establishments per square mile0.56
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.
Butler County
Flood risk in Butler County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Butler County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190850
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book11
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate81.8 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Butler 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 Butler County (community 190850), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Butler 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. 81.8 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 Butler 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 Butler County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,268
- Households5,863
- Average household size2.43
- Median household income$73,715
- Median age43.7
Common questions
Butler County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Butler County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 14,156 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 14,268, in 5,863 households, ranking 55th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Butler County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.26 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,336, to 14,156 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 153 births against 189 deaths, with net migration of -32. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Butler County?
$73,715. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $165,400, which is 2.2 times income, and median gross rent is $812 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Butler County?
324 establishments, employing 2,602 people with an annual payroll of $125.8 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 Butler County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,014 jobs, 27.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 3,691 jobs at an average annual pay of $53,211, or $1,023 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Butler County?
8 7(a) approvals totaling $2.3 m since FY2020, across 4 lenders, with a median approval of $203,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $710,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Butler County?
27 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $8.3 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Butler 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 Butler County come from?
The largest single origin is Black Hawk County, with 70 households. Arriving households report an average income of $53,958 against $50,239 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Butler 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 Butler 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.
Butler County
Cities and places in Butler.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Butler County. All 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg | city | 1,766 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Shell Rock | city | 1,625 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Greene | city | 1,339 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Clarksville | city | 1,237 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Aplington | city | 1,111 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Allison | city | 929 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Dumont | city | 783 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| New Hartford | city | 675 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Bristow | city | 197 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Aredale | city | 48 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby