Delaware County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Delaware County, Iowa had an estimated 17,609 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 17,479, across 578 square miles. County output reached $1.26 bn in 2024, 522 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 12 7(a) approvals worth $4.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Delaware County
How many people live in Delaware County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202417,558
- Households7,369
- Average household size2.38
- Median household income$74,989
- Median age43.4
- Median gross rent$764 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$177,900
- Home value to household income2.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income12.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher22.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over12,233
- Population under 184,084
- Share under 1823.3 percent
- Population 65 and over3,784
- Share 65 and over21.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,690
- Civilian labor force9,712
- Unemployment rate2.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over72.1 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties40th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2007th of 3,222
Delaware County is the 40th 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 23.3 percent against 21.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Delaware County
Is Delaware County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202417,609
- Census 2020 base population17,479
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.74 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202426
- Births, 2024203
- Deaths, 2024207
- Natural change, 2024-4
- Net domestic migration, 202423
- Net international migration, 20248
- Total net migration, 202431
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024129
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1575th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.74 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.
Delaware County
Where are people moving to Delaware County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving358
- People arriving, from those returns634
- Tax returns filed by households leaving338
- Net household movement20
- Adjusted gross income arriving$23.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$4.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$65,212
- Average income of a leaving household$55,382
- Largest single originLinn County (70 households)
- Largest single destinationLinn County (70 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linn County | 70 | 125 | $6.4 m |
| Dubuque County | 58 | 105 | $3.8 m |
| Clayton County | 53 | 89 | $2.6 m |
| Jones County | 22 | 40 | $1.0 m |
Households arriving report $9,830 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 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.
Delaware County
What is the Delaware County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.26 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.20 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.8 percent
- GDP change over five years35.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes36th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1660th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$71,592
Output grew 4.8 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.
Delaware County
Employment by industry in Delaware County
- Covered employment, annual average6,669
- Establishments reporting606
- Average annual pay$53,287
- Average weekly wage$1,025
- Manufacturing, employment1,694
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$69,210
- Retail trade, employment742
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,263
- Wholesale trade, employment448
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$65,582
- Construction, employment375
- Construction, average annual pay$60,379
- Accommodation and food services, employment336
- Finance and insurance, employment262
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,694 | 39 | $69,210 |
| Retail trade | 742 | 54 | $31,263 |
| Wholesale trade | 448 | 48 | $65,582 |
| Construction | 375 | 65 | $60,379 |
| Accommodation and food services | 336 | 36 | $14,404 |
| Finance and insurance | 262 | 41 | $74,814 |
| Other services, except public administration | 178 | 48 | $34,424 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 126 | 39 | $70,629 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,694 jobs, 25.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Delaware County
How many businesses are in Delaware County?
- Establishments, all industries522
- Employment at those establishments5,906
- Annual payroll$300.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents29.7
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.
Delaware County
Building permits in Delaware County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202452
- Declared construction value permitted$12.5 m
- Single family units authorized22
- Multifamily units authorized30
- Multifamily share of units57.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$240,327
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.1
Multifamily is 57.7 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Delaware County
SBA loans in Delaware County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded12
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$4.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$383,083
- Median 7(a) approval$140,500
- Largest single approval$2,500,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)147
- Jobs per approval12.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals11
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer8.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter8
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals16.7 percent
- Most active lenderCommunity Savings Bank (5)
- 504 approvals recorded7
- 504 gross approval dollars$5.8 m
- Average 504 approval$832,429
- Median 504 approval$503,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval26.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved32.3
- Most active CDCE.C.I.A. Business Growth, Inc. (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$10.4 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.
Delaware County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Delaware County
Do SBA loans in Delaware County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Exempt from disclosure7
Only 5 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.
Delaware County
SBA lending by place in Delaware County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Manchester, approvals9
- Edgewood, approvals1
- Delhi, approvals1
- Hopkinton, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester | 9 | $1,917,000 |
| Edgewood | 1 | $2,500,000 |
| Delhi | 1 | $160,000 |
| Hopkinton | 1 | $20,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Delaware County
How large is Delaware County?
- Land area578 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties33rd of 99
- Width, east to west24.4 mi
- Height, north to south24.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land30
- Establishments per square mile0.90
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.
Delaware County
Flood risk in Delaware County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Delaware County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190863
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book13
- Of those, participating in the NFIP11
- NFIP participation rate84.6 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Delaware 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 Delaware County (community 190863), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Delaware 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. 84.6 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 Delaware 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 Delaware County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202417,558
- Households7,369
- Average household size2.38
- Median household income$74,989
- Median age43.4
Common questions
Delaware County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Delaware County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 17,609 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 17,558, in 7,369 households, ranking 40th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Delaware County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.74 percent since the 2020 census base of 17,479, to 17,609 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 203 births against 207 deaths, with net migration of 31. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Delaware County?
$74,989. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $177,900, which is 2.4 times income, and median gross rent is $764 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Delaware County?
522 establishments, employing 5,906 people with an annual payroll of $300.5 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 Delaware County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,694 jobs, 25.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 6,669 jobs at an average annual pay of $53,287, or $1,025 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Delaware County?
12 7(a) approvals totaling $4.6 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $140,500, plus 7 504 approvals worth $5.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Delaware County?
52 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $12.5 m. Multifamily was 57.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Delaware 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 Delaware County come from?
The largest single origin is Linn County, with 70 households. Arriving households report an average income of $65,212 against $55,382 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Delaware 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 Delaware 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.
Delaware County
Cities and places in Delaware.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Delaware County. All 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | city | 5,191 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Dyersville | city | 4,423 | None recorded | 27.8 percent here, 72.2 percent Dubuque County |
| Earlville | city | 868 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Edgewood | city | 752 | 1 | 50.6 percent here, 49.4 percent Clayton County |
| Hopkinton | city | 676 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Colesburg | city | 545 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Delhi | city | 432 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Ryan | city | 346 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Greeley | city | 252 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dundee | city | 177 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Delaware | city | 138 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Masonville | city | 68 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby