Lyon County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Lyon County, Iowa had an estimated 12,378 residents on July 1, 2024, up 3.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 11,929, across 588 square miles. County output reached $1.43 bn in 2024, 402 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 11 7(a) approvals worth $1.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Lyon County
How many people live in Lyon County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202412,162
- Households4,479
- Average household size2.72
- Median household income$76,746
- Median age38.2
- Median gross rent$843 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$230,000
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree4.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over7,784
- Population under 183,425
- Share under 1828.2 percent
- Population 65 and over2,320
- Share 65 and over19.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 646,417
- Civilian labor force6,251
- Unemployment rate2.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over71.5 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties62nd of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2342nd of 3,222
Lyon County is the 62nd largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 28.2 percent against 19.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lyon County
Is Lyon County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202412,378
- Census 2020 base population11,929
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.76 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202490
- Births, 2024126
- Deaths, 2024120
- Natural change, 20246
- Net domestic migration, 202448
- Net international migration, 202437
- Total net migration, 202485
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024212
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents732nd of 3,144
The county has grown 3.76 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Lyon County
Where are people moving to Lyon County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving197
- People arriving, from those returns369
- Tax returns filed by households leaving181
- Net household movement16
- Adjusted gross income arriving$11.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-521,000
- Average income of an arriving household$57,020
- Average income of a leaving household$64,939
- Largest single originSioux County (50 households)
- Largest single destinationMinnehaha County (38 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux County | 50 | 89 | $2.8 m |
| Minnehaha County | 37 | 74 | $2.0 m |
Households arriving report $7,919 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Sioux 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.
Lyon County
What is the Lyon County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.43 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.19 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 202419.6 percent
- GDP change over five years65.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes31st of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1558th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$117,199
Output grew 19.6 percent in the latest year and 65.6 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.
Lyon County
Employment by industry in Lyon County
- Covered employment, annual average4,794
- Establishments reporting553
- Average annual pay$49,696
- Average weekly wage$956
- Accommodation and food services, employment670
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$36,141
- Manufacturing, employment658
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$55,579
- Retail trade, employment398
- Retail trade, average annual pay$25,990
- Construction, employment284
- Construction, average annual pay$54,763
- Wholesale trade, employment188
- Finance and insurance, employment183
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 670 | 23 | $36,141 |
| Manufacturing | 658 | 32 | $55,579 |
| Retail trade | 398 | 48 | $25,990 |
| Construction | 284 | 74 | $54,763 |
| Wholesale trade | 188 | 29 | $64,361 |
| Finance and insurance | 183 | 40 | $73,721 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 169 | 30 | $174,369 |
| Other services, except public administration | 136 | 33 | $45,010 |
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 670 jobs, 14.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lyon County
How many businesses are in Lyon County?
- Establishments, all industries402
- Employment at those establishments3,746
- Annual payroll$179.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents33.1
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.
Lyon County
Building permits in Lyon County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202463
- Declared construction value permitted$23.0 m
- Single family units authorized63
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$365,564
- Units authorized per 1,000 households14.1
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.
Lyon County
SBA loans in Lyon County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded11
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$1.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$140,109
- Median 7(a) approval$81,000
- Largest single approval$595,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)51
- Jobs per approval4.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals9
- Median 7(a) term84 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer18.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter9
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderSecurity Savings Bank (6)
- 504 approvals recorded23
- 504 gross approval dollars$16.4 m
- Average 504 approval$712,217
- Median 504 approval$506,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval4.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved6.0
- Most active CDCSiouxland Economic Development Corporation (16)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$17.9 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.
Lyon County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Lyon County
Do SBA loans in Lyon County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full4
- Charged off1
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
- Status: Paid in full4
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.
Lyon County
SBA lending by place in Lyon County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Rock Rapids, approvals5
- Larchwood, approvals3
- George, approvals1
- Rock Valley, approvals1
- Inwood, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Rock Rapids | 5 | $827,600 |
| Larchwood | 3 | $413,100 |
| George | 1 | $150,000 |
| Rock Valley | 1 | $81,000 |
| Inwood | 1 | $69,500 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lyon County
How large is Lyon County?
- Land area588 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties25th of 99
- Width, east to west37.3 mi
- Height, north to south17.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land21
- Establishments per square mile0.68
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.
Lyon County
Flood risk in Lyon County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Lyon County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190886
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate77.8 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Lyon 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 Lyon County (community 190886), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Lyon 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. 77.8 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 Lyon 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 Lyon County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202412,162
- Households4,479
- Average household size2.72
- Median household income$76,746
- Median age38.2
Common questions
Lyon County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lyon County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 12,378 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 12,162, in 4,479 households, ranking 62nd of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lyon County's population growing?
The population has grown 3.76 percent since the 2020 census base of 11,929, to 12,378 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 126 births against 120 deaths, with net migration of 85. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lyon County?
$76,746. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $230,000, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $843 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Lyon County?
402 establishments, employing 3,746 people with an annual payroll of $179.2 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 Lyon County?
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 670 jobs, 14.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 4,794 jobs at an average annual pay of $49,696, or $956 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lyon County?
11 7(a) approvals totaling $1.5 m since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $81,000, plus 23 504 approvals worth $16.4 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Lyon County?
63 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $23.0 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lyon 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 Lyon County come from?
The largest single origin is Sioux County, with 50 households. Arriving households report an average income of $57,020 against $64,939 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lyon 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 Lyon 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.
Lyon County
Cities and places in Lyon.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Lyon County. All 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Rapids | city | 2,661 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Larchwood | city | 1,136 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| George | city | 1,064 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Inwood | city | 793 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Doon | city | 529 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Little Rock | city | 395 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lester | city | 340 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Alvord | city | 173 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 11 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Lyon County, the largest being Rock Valley (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.