Carroll County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Carroll County, Iowa had an estimated 20,407 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 20,766, across 569 square miles. County output reached $1.84 bn in 2024, 827 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 5 7(a) approvals worth $4.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Carroll County
How many people live in Carroll County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202420,594
- Households8,801
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$72,930
- Median age41.1
- Median gross rent$731 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$176,000
- Home value to household income2.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income12.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over14,039
- Population under 185,020
- Share under 1824.4 percent
- Population 65 and over4,361
- Share 65 and over21.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6411,213
- Civilian labor force10,826
- Unemployment rate1.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over69.5 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties32nd of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1846th of 3,222
Carroll County is the 32nd 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 24.4 percent against 21.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Carroll County
Is Carroll County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202420,407
- Census 2020 base population20,766
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.73 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-105
- Births, 2024240
- Deaths, 2024296
- Natural change, 2024-56
- Net domestic migration, 2024-63
- Net international migration, 202416
- Total net migration, 2024-47
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-203
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2429th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.73 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.
Carroll County
Where are people moving to Carroll County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving394
- People arriving, from those returns692
- Tax returns filed by households leaving427
- Net household movement-33
- Adjusted gross income arriving$20.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-3.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$51,911
- Average income of a leaving household$56,789
- Largest single originCrawford County (57 households)
- Largest single destinationPolk County (57 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crawford County | 57 | 114 | $3.3 m |
| Polk County | 27 | 44 | $1.8 m |
| Sac County | 20 | 38 | $1.5 m |
Households arriving report $4,878 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Crawford 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.
Carroll County
What is the Carroll County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.84 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.76 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.5 percent
- GDP change over five years34.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes25th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1353rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$89,215
Output grew 4.5 percent in the latest year and 34.4 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.
Carroll County
Employment by industry in Carroll County
- Covered employment, annual average10,978
- Establishments reporting968
- Average annual pay$50,662
- Average weekly wage$974
- Manufacturing, employment1,514
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$64,344
- Retail trade, employment1,388
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,832
- Wholesale trade, employment1,058
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$61,809
- Accommodation and food services, employment735
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$17,785
- Finance and insurance, employment660
- Construction, employment405
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,514 | 48 | $64,344 |
| Retail trade | 1,388 | 110 | $34,832 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,058 | 70 | $61,809 |
| Accommodation and food services | 735 | 54 | $17,785 |
| Finance and insurance | 660 | 82 | $80,143 |
| Construction | 405 | 93 | $57,376 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 393 | 51 | $57,464 |
| Other services, except public administration | 245 | 68 | $39,808 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,514 jobs, 13.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Carroll County
How many businesses are in Carroll County?
- Establishments, all industries827
- Employment at those establishments10,168
- Annual payroll$502.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents40.2
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.
Carroll County
Building permits in Carroll County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202434
- Declared construction value permitted$13.0 m
- Single family units authorized29
- Multifamily units authorized5
- Multifamily share of units14.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$380,944
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.9
Single-family homes are 85.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Carroll County
SBA loans in Carroll County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded5
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$4.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$793,200
- Median 7(a) approval$175,000
- Largest single approval$3,180,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)72
- Jobs per approval14.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals4
- Median 7(a) term67 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer20.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter4
- Franchise loans4
- Franchise share of approvals80.0 percent
- Most active lenderWestside State Bank (3)
- 504 approvals recorded18
- 504 gross approval dollars$13.2 m
- Average 504 approval$732,722
- Median 504 approval$338,500
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval11.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved16.2
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (11)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$17.2 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.
Carroll County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Carroll County
Do SBA loans in Carroll County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full1
- Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full1
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure2
- 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.
Carroll County
SBA lending by place in Carroll County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Carroll, approvals4
- Arcadia, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Carroll | 4 | $3,848,000 |
| Arcadia | 1 | $118,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Carroll County
How large is Carroll County?
- Land area569 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties53rd of 99
- Width, east to west23.9 mi
- Height, north to south24 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land36
- Establishments per square mile1.45
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.
Carroll County
Flood risk in Carroll County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Carroll County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190039
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate90.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Carroll 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 Carroll County (community 190039), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Carroll 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. 90.0 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 Carroll 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 Carroll County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202420,594
- Households8,801
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$72,930
- Median age41.1
Common questions
Carroll County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Carroll County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 20,407 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 20,594, in 8,801 households, ranking 32nd of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Carroll County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.73 percent since the 2020 census base of 20,766, to 20,407 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 240 births against 296 deaths, with net migration of -47. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Carroll County?
$72,930. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $176,000, which is 2.4 times income, and median gross rent is $731 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Carroll County?
827 establishments, employing 10,168 people with an annual payroll of $502.3 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 Carroll County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,514 jobs, 13.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 10,978 jobs at an average annual pay of $50,662, or $974 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Carroll County?
5 7(a) approvals totaling $4.0 m since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $175,000, plus 18 504 approvals worth $13.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Carroll County?
34 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $13.0 m. Multifamily was 14.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Carroll 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 Carroll County come from?
The largest single origin is Crawford County, with 57 households. Arriving households report an average income of $51,911 against $56,789 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Carroll 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 Carroll 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.
Carroll County
Cities and places in Carroll.
13 Census places lie wholly or partly in Carroll County. All 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll | city | 10,208 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Manning | city | 1,533 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Coon Rapids | city | 1,467 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glidden | city | 1,169 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Arcadia | city | 796 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Breda | city | 477 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Templeton | city | 351 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Halbur | city | 284 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dedham | city | 280 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lidderdale | city | 177 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Willey | city | 94 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lanesboro | city | 78 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ralston | city | 61 | None recorded | 50.4 percent here, 49.6 percent Greene County |
Nearby