Mahaska County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Mahaska County, Iowa had an estimated 22,034 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 22,191, across 571 square miles. County output reached $1.19 bn in 2024, 538 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 12 7(a) approvals worth $2.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Mahaska County
How many people live in Mahaska County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202422,021
- Households8,743
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$70,940
- Median age39.0
- Median gross rent$793 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$157,800
- Home value to household income2.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over14,642
- Population under 185,213
- Share under 1823.7 percent
- Population 65 and over4,199
- Share 65 and over19.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6412,609
- Civilian labor force11,345
- Unemployment rate3.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.5 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties28th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1773rd of 3,222
Mahaska County is the 28th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.2 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.7 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.
Mahaska County
Is Mahaska County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202422,034
- Census 2020 base population22,191
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.71 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202467
- Births, 2024230
- Deaths, 2024239
- Natural change, 2024-9
- Net domestic migration, 2024-8
- Net international migration, 202485
- Total net migration, 202477
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-157
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2092nd of 3,144
The county has lost 0.71 percent of its population 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.
Mahaska County
Where are people moving to Mahaska County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving492
- People arriving, from those returns900
- Tax returns filed by households leaving524
- Net household movement-32
- Adjusted gross income arriving$26.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-454,000
- Average income of an arriving household$52,900
- Average income of a leaving household$50,536
- Largest single originMarion County (70 households)
- Largest single destinationMarion County (74 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County | 70 | 141 | $3.8 m |
| Wapello County | 67 | 114 | $2.9 m |
| Polk County | 37 | 68 | $2.1 m |
| Keokuk County | 31 | 53 | $1.4 m |
| Poweshiek County | 25 | 54 | $1.3 m |
| Jasper County | 20 | 35 | $1.0 m |
Households arriving report $2,364 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 Marion 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.
Mahaska County
What is the Mahaska County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.19 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.14 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.3 percent
- GDP change over five years35.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes40th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1698th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$54,134
Output grew 4.3 percent in the latest year and 35.6 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.
Mahaska County
Employment by industry in Mahaska County
- Covered employment, annual average7,887
- Establishments reporting625
- Average annual pay$55,503
- Average weekly wage$1,067
- Manufacturing, employment1,921
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$84,376
- Retail trade, employment988
- Retail trade, average annual pay$29,610
- Accommodation and food services, employment673
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$17,464
- Health care and social assistance, employment617
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$41,866
- Educational services, employment330
- Other services, except public administration, employment294
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,921 | 48 | $84,376 |
| Retail trade | 988 | 74 | $29,610 |
| Accommodation and food services | 673 | 42 | $17,464 |
| Health care and social assistance | 617 | 60 | $41,866 |
| Educational services | 330 | 7 | $34,488 |
| Other services, except public administration | 294 | 47 | $30,109 |
| Wholesale trade | 289 | 27 | $60,559 |
| Construction | 256 | 59 | $59,063 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,921 jobs, 24.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Mahaska County
How many businesses are in Mahaska County?
- Establishments, all industries538
- Employment at those establishments7,582
- Annual payroll$429.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.4
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.
Mahaska County
Building permits in Mahaska County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202416
- Declared construction value permitted$5.2 m
- Single family units authorized12
- Multifamily units authorized4
- Multifamily share of units25.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$327,973
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.8
Single-family homes are 75.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Mahaska County
SBA loans in Mahaska County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded12
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$2.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$198,017
- Median 7(a) approval$95,200
- Largest single approval$573,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)66
- Jobs per approval5.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals8
- Median 7(a) term84 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 shorter10
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderCommunity 1st CU (5)
- 504 approvals recorded6
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.1 m
- Average 504 approval$178,333
- Median 504 approval$155,500
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval4.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved22.4
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$3.4 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.
Mahaska County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Mahaska County
Do SBA loans in Mahaska County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure7
- Status: Paid in full5
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.
Mahaska County
SBA lending by place in Mahaska County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Oskaloosa, approvals11
- New Sharon, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Oskaloosa | 11 | $2,356,200 |
| New Sharon | 1 | $20,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Mahaska County
How large is Mahaska County?
- Land area571 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties47th of 99
- Width, east to west23.9 mi
- Height, north to south24.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land39
- Establishments per square mile0.94
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.
Mahaska County
Flood risk in Mahaska County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Mahaska County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190888
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate66.7 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Mahaska 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 Mahaska County (community 190888), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Mahaska 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. 66.7 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 Mahaska 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 Mahaska County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202422,021
- Households8,743
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$70,940
- Median age39.0
Common questions
Mahaska County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Mahaska County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 22,034 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 22,021, in 8,743 households, ranking 28th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Mahaska County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.71 percent since the 2020 census base of 22,191, to 22,034 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 230 births against 239 deaths, with net migration of 77. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Mahaska County?
$70,940. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $157,800, which is 2.2 times income, and median gross rent is $793 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Mahaska County?
538 establishments, employing 7,582 people with an annual payroll of $429.1 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 Mahaska County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,921 jobs, 24.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,887 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,503, or $1,067 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Mahaska County?
12 7(a) approvals totaling $2.4 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $95,200, plus 6 504 approvals worth $1.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Mahaska County?
16 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $5.2 m. Multifamily was 25.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Mahaska 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 Mahaska County come from?
The largest single origin is Marion County, with 70 households. Arriving households report an average income of $52,900 against $50,536 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Mahaska 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 Mahaska 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.
Mahaska County
Cities and places in Mahaska.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Mahaska 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oskaloosa | city | 11,504 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| New Sharon | city | 1,180 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Eddyville | city | 1,163 | None recorded | 26.4 percent here, 71.4 percent Wapello County, 2.2 percent Monroe County |
| Fremont | city | 924 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| University Park | city | 645 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Beacon | city | 425 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rose Hill | city | 300 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Leighton | city | 150 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Keomah Village | city | 123 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Barnes City | city | 117 | None recorded | 78.9 percent here, 21.1 percent Poweshiek County |
Nearby