Hancock County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Hancock County, Iowa had an estimated 10,616 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 10,793, across 571 square miles. County output reached $1.20 bn in 2024, 302 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 11 7(a) approvals worth $4.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Hancock County
How many people live in Hancock County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202410,671
- Households4,673
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$70,601
- Median age44.6
- Median gross rent$736 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$141,400
- Home value to household income2.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income12.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over7,599
- Population under 182,243
- Share under 1821.0 percent
- Population 65 and over2,554
- Share 65 and over23.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 645,874
- Civilian labor force5,484
- Unemployment rate1.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.1 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties69th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2442nd of 3,222
Hancock County is the 69th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.9 percent against 21.0 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.
Hancock County
Is Hancock County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202410,616
- Census 2020 base population10,793
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.64 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-15
- Births, 2024122
- Deaths, 2024127
- Natural change, 2024-5
- Net domestic migration, 2024-17
- Net international migration, 20247
- Total net migration, 2024-10
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-95
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2403rd of 3,144
The county has lost 1.64 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.
Hancock County
Where are people moving to Hancock County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving253
- People arriving, from those returns466
- Tax returns filed by households leaving242
- Net household movement11
- Adjusted gross income arriving$12.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-2.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$48,569
- Average income of a leaving household$59,099
- Largest single originCerro Gordo County (63 households)
- Largest single destinationCerro Gordo County (55 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cerro Gordo County | 63 | 113 | $3.3 m |
| Winnebago County | 36 | 73 | $2.0 m |
| Wright County | 23 | 45 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $10,530 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Cerro Gordo 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.
Hancock County
What is the Hancock County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.20 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.15 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.1 percent
- GDP change over five years60.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes39th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1691st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$112,831
Output grew 5.1 percent in the latest year and 60.5 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.
Hancock County
Employment by industry in Hancock County
- Covered employment, annual average5,982
- Establishments reporting379
- Average annual pay$59,900
- Average weekly wage$1,152
- Manufacturing, employment2,877
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$67,162
- Retail trade, employment373
- Retail trade, average annual pay$50,019
- Wholesale trade, employment228
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$80,102
- Transportation and warehousing, employment209
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$63,741
- Construction, employment182
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment179
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,877 | 24 | $67,162 |
| Retail trade | 373 | 33 | $50,019 |
| Wholesale trade | 228 | 31 | $80,102 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 209 | 34 | $63,741 |
| Construction | 182 | 30 | $62,169 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 179 | 27 | $63,082 |
| Other services, except public administration | 165 | 26 | $47,283 |
| Accommodation and food services | 129 | 15 | $17,771 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,877 jobs, 48.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Hancock County
How many businesses are in Hancock County?
- Establishments, all industries302
- Employment at those establishments3,643
- Annual payroll$210.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.3
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.
Hancock County
Building permits in Hancock County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202413
- Declared construction value permitted$3.8 m
- Single family units authorized7
- Multifamily units authorized6
- Multifamily share of units46.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$293,944
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.8
Multifamily is 46.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Hancock County
SBA loans in Hancock County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded11
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$4.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$426,382
- Median 7(a) approval$250,000
- Largest single approval$2,738,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)38
- Jobs per approval3.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active4
- Distinct industries receiving approvals9
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer27.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter7
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderClear Lake Bank & Trust Company (7)
- 504 approvals recorded6
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.2 m
- Average 504 approval$192,833
- Median 504 approval$176,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval4.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved24.2
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$5.8 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.
Hancock County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Hancock County
Do SBA loans in Hancock County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure5
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
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.
Hancock County
SBA lending by place in Hancock County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Garner, approvals6
- Britt, approvals3
- Kanawha, approvals1
- Forest City, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Garner | 6 | $1,133,700 |
| Britt | 3 | $3,088,000 |
| Kanawha | 1 | $275,000 |
| Forest City | 1 | $193,500 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Hancock County
How large is Hancock County?
- Land area571 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties46th of 99
- Width, east to west23.9 mi
- Height, north to south24 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land19
- Establishments per square mile0.53
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.
Hancock County
Flood risk in Hancock County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Hancock County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190873
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate62.5 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Hancock 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 Hancock County (community 190873), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Hancock 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. 62.5 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 Hancock 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 Hancock County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202410,671
- Households4,673
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$70,601
- Median age44.6
Common questions
Hancock County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Hancock County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 10,616 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 10,671, in 4,673 households, ranking 69th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Hancock County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.64 percent since the 2020 census base of 10,793, to 10,616 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 122 births against 127 deaths, with net migration of -10. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Hancock County?
$70,601. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $141,400, which is 2.0 times income, and median gross rent is $736 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Hancock County?
302 establishments, employing 3,643 people with an annual payroll of $210.4 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 Hancock County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,877 jobs, 48.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,982 jobs at an average annual pay of $59,900, or $1,152 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Hancock County?
11 7(a) approvals totaling $4.7 m since FY2020, across 4 lenders, with a median approval of $250,000, plus 6 504 approvals worth $1.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Hancock County?
13 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $3.8 m. Multifamily was 46.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Hancock 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 Hancock County come from?
The largest single origin is Cerro Gordo County, with 63 households. Arriving households report an average income of $48,569 against $59,099 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Hancock 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 Hancock 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.
Hancock County
Cities and places in Hancock.
13 Census places lie wholly or partly in Hancock County. 11 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked. The rest are named here and not linked, because the American Community Survey and the SBA record between them do not carry enough about them to write an honest page. A place existing is itself worth knowing, so nothing in the county is left out.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest City | city | 4,290 | 1 | 44.6 percent here, 55.4 percent Winnebago County |
| Garner | city | 3,049 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Britt | city | 1,882 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Kanawha | city | 756 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Klemme | city | 544 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Crystal Lake | city | 283 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Goodell | city | 268 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Corwith | city | 249 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Woden | city | 219 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Miller | CDP | 25 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Duncan | CDP | 21 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hayfield | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hutchins | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby