Hardin County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Hardin County, Iowa had an estimated 16,464 residents on July 1, 2024, down 2.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 16,875, across 569 square miles. County output reached $1.14 bn in 2024, 499 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 6 7(a) approvals worth $4.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Hardin County
How many people live in Hardin County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,639
- Households7,038
- Average household size2.36
- Median household income$65,069
- Median age45.4
- Median gross rent$795 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$122,500
- Home value to household income1.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over12,229
- Population under 183,157
- Share under 1819.0 percent
- Population 65 and over3,968
- Share 65 and over23.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,514
- Civilian labor force8,558
- Unemployment rate4.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.5 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties44th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2061st of 3,222
Hardin County is the 44th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 1.9 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.8 percent against 19.0 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.
Hardin County
Is Hardin County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202416,464
- Census 2020 base population16,875
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.44 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-59
- Births, 2024155
- Deaths, 2024247
- Natural change, 2024-92
- Net domestic migration, 2024-43
- Net international migration, 202476
- Total net migration, 202433
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-199
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2613th of 3,144
The county has lost 2.44 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Hardin County
Where are people moving to Hardin County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving411
- People arriving, from those returns706
- Tax returns filed by households leaving429
- Net household movement-18
- Adjusted gross income arriving$18.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-306,000
- Average income of an arriving household$45,163
- Average income of a leaving household$43,981
- Largest single originPolk County (40 households)
- Largest single destinationStory County (48 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 40 | 65 | $2.3 m |
| Story County | 40 | 71 | $1.8 m |
| Marshall County | 30 | 64 | $1.2 m |
| Franklin County | 27 | 47 | $1.0 m |
| Grundy County | 26 | 53 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $1,182 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 Polk 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.
Hardin County
What is the Hardin County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.14 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.12 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.9 percent
- GDP change over five years47.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes44th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1734th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$68,641
Output grew 1.9 percent in the latest year and 47.0 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.
Hardin County
Employment by industry in Hardin County
- Covered employment, annual average6,483
- Establishments reporting650
- Average annual pay$54,065
- Average weekly wage$1,040
- Retail trade, employment802
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,279
- Construction, employment554
- Construction, average annual pay$62,245
- Manufacturing, employment448
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$68,717
- Wholesale trade, employment435
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$88,300
- Accommodation and food services, employment358
- Finance and insurance, employment258
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 802 | 61 | $33,279 |
| Construction | 554 | 74 | $62,245 |
| Manufacturing | 448 | 21 | $68,717 |
| Wholesale trade | 435 | 49 | $88,300 |
| Accommodation and food services | 358 | 36 | $15,957 |
| Finance and insurance | 258 | 40 | $74,143 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 154 | 42 | $63,763 |
| Other services, except public administration | 149 | 46 | $47,918 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 802 jobs, 12.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Hardin County
How many businesses are in Hardin County?
- Establishments, all industries499
- Employment at those establishments4,845
- Annual payroll$236.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents30.0
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.
Hardin County
Building permits in Hardin County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202428
- Declared construction value permitted$9.3 m
- Single family units authorized28
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$332,537
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.0
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.
Hardin County
SBA loans in Hardin County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded6
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$4.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$726,333
- Median 7(a) approval$312,500
- Largest single approval$3,150,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)47
- Jobs per approval7.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active4
- Distinct industries receiving approvals5
- Median 7(a) term150 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter3
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderGreen Belt Bank & Trust (3)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$3.0 m
- Average 504 approval$2,995,000
- Median 504 approval$2,995,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval17.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved5.7
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$7.4 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.
Hardin County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Hardin County
Do SBA loans in Hardin County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure5
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 0 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.
Hardin County
SBA lending by place in Hardin County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Iowa Falls, approvals4
- Ackley, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa Falls | 4 | $1,113,000 |
| Ackley | 2 | $3,245,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Hardin County
How large is Hardin County?
- Land area569 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties54th of 99
- Width, east to west25.4 mi
- Height, north to south24.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land29
- Establishments per square mile0.88
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.
Hardin County
Flood risk in Hardin County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Hardin County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190874
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book11
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate72.7 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Hardin 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 Hardin County (community 190874), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Hardin 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. 72.7 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 Hardin 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 Hardin County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,639
- Households7,038
- Average household size2.36
- Median household income$65,069
- Median age45.4
Common questions
Hardin County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Hardin County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 16,464 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 16,639, in 7,038 households, ranking 44th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Hardin County's population growing?
The population has fallen 2.44 percent since the 2020 census base of 16,875, to 16,464 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 155 births against 247 deaths, with net migration of 33. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Hardin County?
$65,069. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $122,500, which is 1.9 times income, and median gross rent is $795 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Hardin County?
499 establishments, employing 4,845 people with an annual payroll of $236.1 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 Hardin County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 802 jobs, 12.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 6,483 jobs at an average annual pay of $54,065, or $1,040 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Hardin County?
6 7(a) approvals totaling $4.4 m since FY2020, across 4 lenders, with a median approval of $312,500, plus 1 504 approvals worth $3.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Hardin County?
28 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $9.3 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Hardin 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 Hardin County come from?
The largest single origin is Polk County, with 40 households. Arriving households report an average income of $45,163 against $43,981 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Hardin 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 Hardin 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.
Hardin County
Cities and places in Hardin.
13 Census places lie wholly or partly in Hardin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Falls | city | 5,038 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Eldora | city | 2,617 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ackley | city | 1,482 | 2 | 65.8 percent here, 34.2 percent Franklin County |
| Alden | city | 833 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hubbard | city | 773 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Radcliffe | city | 657 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Union | city | 378 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Steamboat Rock | city | 312 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| New Providence | city | 173 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Whitten | city | 164 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Buckeye | city | 75 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Garden City | CDP | 36 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Owasa | city | 25 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby