Dickinson County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Dickinson County, Iowa had an estimated 18,158 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 17,708, across 381 square miles. County output reached $1.53 bn in 2024, 784 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 23 7(a) approvals worth $10.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Dickinson County
How many people live in Dickinson County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202417,990
- Households8,845
- Average household size2.03
- Median household income$75,432
- Median age48.7
- Median gross rent$922 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$270,700
- Home value to household income3.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher31.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over13,520
- Population under 183,429
- Share under 1819.1 percent
- Population 65 and over5,079
- Share 65 and over28.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,482
- Civilian labor force9,648
- Unemployment rate3.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over66.3 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties39th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1989th of 3,222
Dickinson County is the 39th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 3.6 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 28.2 percent against 19.1 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.
Dickinson County
Is Dickinson County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202418,158
- Census 2020 base population17,708
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.54 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202471
- Births, 2024146
- Deaths, 2024198
- Natural change, 2024-52
- Net domestic migration, 202495
- Net international migration, 202430
- Total net migration, 2024125
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024525
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents996th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.54 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.
Dickinson County
Where are people moving to Dickinson County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving598
- People arriving, from those returns1,017
- Tax returns filed by households leaving488
- Net household movement110
- Adjusted gross income arriving$59.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$12.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$99,324
- Average income of a leaving household$95,383
- Largest single originClay County (50 households)
- Largest single destinationClay County (63 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 50 | 77 | $2.2 m |
| Emmet County | 38 | 72 | $2.0 m |
| Polk County | 25 | 40 | $1.5 m |
| O'Brien County | 23 | 37 | $2.5 m |
| Jackson County | 21 | 28 | $1.3 m |
| Minnehaha County | 20 | 34 | $735,000 |
Households arriving report $3,941 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 Clay 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.
Dickinson County
What is the Dickinson County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.53 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.40 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20249.6 percent
- GDP change over five years48.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes29th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1501st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$85,004
Output grew 9.6 percent in the latest year and 48.5 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.
Dickinson County
Employment by industry in Dickinson County
- Covered employment, annual average10,008
- Establishments reporting958
- Average annual pay$46,626
- Average weekly wage$897
- Manufacturing, employment1,563
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$57,731
- Retail trade, employment1,499
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,506
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,452
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$23,415
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment939
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$36,856
- Health care and social assistance, employment773
- Construction, employment535
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,563 | 42 | $57,731 |
| Retail trade | 1,499 | 122 | $36,506 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,452 | 100 | $23,415 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 939 | 66 | $36,856 |
| Health care and social assistance | 773 | 70 | $50,198 |
| Construction | 535 | 110 | $63,166 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 353 | 27 | $24,921 |
| Wholesale trade | 272 | 44 | $75,188 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,563 jobs, 15.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Dickinson County
How many businesses are in Dickinson County?
- Establishments, all industries784
- Employment at those establishments7,749
- Annual payroll$372.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents43.6
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.
Dickinson County
Building permits in Dickinson County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024292
- Declared construction value permitted$84.7 m
- Single family units authorized261
- Multifamily units authorized31
- Multifamily share of units10.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$290,020
- Units authorized per 1,000 households33.0
Single-family homes are 89.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Dickinson County
SBA loans in Dickinson County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded23
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$10.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$451,800
- Median 7(a) approval$200,000
- 10th percentile approval$39,100
- 90th percentile approval$774,260
- Largest single approval$2,800,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)261
- Jobs per approval11.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals16
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer17.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter17
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals13.0 percent
- Most active lenderBank Midwest (9)
- 504 approvals recorded41
- 504 gross approval dollars$19.2 m
- Average 504 approval$467,610
- Median 504 approval$315,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval4.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.7
- Most active CDCDakota Business Finance (19)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$29.6 m
The average approval of $451,800 sits well above the median of $200,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 17.4 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.
Dickinson County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Dickinson County
Do SBA loans in Dickinson County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded6
- Paid in full6
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Exempt from disclosure17
Only 6 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.
Dickinson County
SBA lending by place in Dickinson County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Spirit Lake, approvals12
- Arnolds Park, approvals5
- Milford, approvals3
- Okoboji, approvals2
- Thurston, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Spirit Lake | 12 | $4,153,300 |
| Arnolds Park | 5 | $232,000 |
| Milford | 3 | $3,174,100 |
| Okoboji | 2 | $372,000 |
| Thurston | 1 | $2,460,000 |
Spirit Lake accounts for 12 approvals against 5 in Arnolds Park. 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.
Dickinson County
How large is Dickinson County?
- Land area381 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties99th of 99
- Width, east to west23.8 mi
- Height, north to south17 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land47
- Establishments per square mile2.06
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.
Dickinson County
Flood risk in Dickinson County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Dickinson County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190864
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate55.6 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Dickinson 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 Dickinson County (community 190864), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Dickinson 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. 55.6 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 Dickinson 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 Dickinson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202417,990
- Households8,845
- Average household size2.03
- Median household income$75,432
- Median age48.7
Common questions
Dickinson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Dickinson County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 18,158 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 17,990, in 8,845 households, ranking 39th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Dickinson County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.54 percent since the 2020 census base of 17,708, to 18,158 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 146 births against 198 deaths, with net migration of 125. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Dickinson County?
$75,432. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $270,700, which is 3.6 times income, and median gross rent is $922 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Dickinson County?
784 establishments, employing 7,749 people with an annual payroll of $372.4 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 Dickinson County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,563 jobs, 15.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 10,008 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,626, or $897 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Dickinson County?
23 7(a) approvals totaling $10.4 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $200,000, plus 41 504 approvals worth $19.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Dickinson County?
292 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $84.7 m. Multifamily was 10.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Dickinson 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 Dickinson County come from?
The largest single origin is Clay County, with 50 households. Arriving households report an average income of $99,324 against $95,383 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Dickinson 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 Dickinson 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.
Dickinson County
Cities and places in Dickinson.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Dickinson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Lake | city | 5,518 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Milford | city | 3,311 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Park | city | 1,184 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Okoboji | city | 969 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Arnolds Park | city | 922 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Orleans | city | 527 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wahpeton | city | 443 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| West Okoboji | city | 418 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Terril | city | 290 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Superior | city | 111 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 23 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Dickinson County, the largest being Thurston (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.
Nearby