Marion County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Marion County, Iowa had an estimated 34,048 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 33,417, across 555 square miles. County output reached $2.88 bn in 2024, 859 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 25 7(a) approvals worth $5.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Marion County
How many people live in Marion County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202433,642
- Households13,316
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$78,680
- Median age39.9
- Median gross rent$884 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$233,000
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher32.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over22,422
- Population under 187,769
- Share under 1823.1 percent
- Population 65 and over6,515
- Share 65 and over19.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6419,358
- Civilian labor force17,548
- Unemployment rate2.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.8 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties21st of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1378th of 3,222
Marion County is the 21st 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 23.1 percent against 19.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Marion County
Is Marion County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202434,048
- Census 2020 base population33,417
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.89 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024330
- Births, 2024327
- Deaths, 2024350
- Natural change, 2024-23
- Net domestic migration, 2024294
- Net international migration, 202460
- Total net migration, 2024354
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024715
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1204th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.89 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.
Marion County
Where are people moving to Marion County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving850
- People arriving, from those returns1,602
- Tax returns filed by households leaving750
- Net household movement100
- Adjusted gross income arriving$58.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$13.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$69,052
- Average income of a leaving household$60,171
- Largest single originPolk County (170 households)
- Largest single destinationPolk County (180 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 170 | 342 | $12.8 m |
| Mahaska County | 74 | 125 | $4.0 m |
| Jasper County | 67 | 123 | $4.9 m |
| Warren County | 64 | 132 | $3.5 m |
| Wapello County | 26 | 55 | $1.4 m |
| Dallas County | 25 | 38 | $1.4 m |
| Lucas County | 21 | 35 | $1.5 m |
| Monroe County | 21 | 34 | $841,000 |
Households arriving report $8,881 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.
Marion County
What is the Marion County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.88 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.87 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.1 percent
- GDP change over five years25.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes16th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1008th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$85,537
Output grew 0.1 percent in the latest year and 25.9 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.
Marion County
Employment by industry in Marion County
- Covered employment, annual average19,680
- Establishments reporting1,062
- Average annual pay$63,553
- Average weekly wage$1,222
- Manufacturing, employment8,599
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$84,313
- Retail trade, employment1,692
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,208
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,154
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$16,960
- Construction, employment622
- Construction, average annual pay$67,386
- Wholesale trade, employment483
- Other services, except public administration, employment409
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,599 | 58 | $84,313 |
| Retail trade | 1,692 | 118 | $30,208 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,154 | 80 | $16,960 |
| Construction | 622 | 96 | $67,386 |
| Wholesale trade | 483 | 77 | $88,730 |
| Other services, except public administration | 409 | 82 | $38,772 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 370 | 104 | $66,168 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 370 | 54 | $53,315 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 8,599 jobs, 43.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Marion County
How many businesses are in Marion County?
- Establishments, all industries859
- Employment at those establishments17,934
- Annual payroll$1.22 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.5
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.
Marion County
Building permits in Marion County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024107
- Declared construction value permitted$40.9 m
- Single family units authorized101
- Multifamily units authorized6
- Multifamily share of units5.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$382,088
- Units authorized per 1,000 households8.0
Single-family homes are 94.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Marion County
SBA loans in Marion County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded25
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$5.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$227,708
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$484,000
- Largest single approval$1,509,700
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)200
- Jobs per approval8.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active13
- Distinct industries receiving approvals18
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer20.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter18
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals4.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countOffices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) (4)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (6)
- 504 approvals recorded10
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.5 m
- Average 504 approval$446,700
- Median 504 approval$454,500
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval8.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved17.9
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (8)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$10.2 m
The average approval of $227,708 sits well above the median of $100,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 20.0 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.
Marion County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Marion County
Do SBA loans in Marion County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure17
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Cancelled3
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.
Marion County
SBA lending by place in Marion County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Pella, approvals17
- Bussey, approvals3
- Knoxville, approvals2
- Swan, approvals1
- Pleasantville, approvals1
- Johnston, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Pella | 17 | $4,898,900 |
| Bussey | 3 | $273,800 |
| Knoxville | 2 | $25,000 |
| Swan | 1 | $190,000 |
| Pleasantville | 1 | $180,000 |
| Johnston | 1 | $125,000 |
Pella accounts for 17 approvals against 3 in Bussey. 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.
Marion County
How large is Marion County?
- Land area555 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties61st of 99
- Width, east to west23.8 mi
- Height, north to south24 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land61
- Establishments per square mile1.55
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.
Marion County
Flood risk in Marion County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Marion County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190889
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate90.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Marion 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 Marion County (community 190889), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Marion 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. 90.0 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 Marion 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 Marion County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202433,642
- Households13,316
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$78,680
- Median age39.9
Common questions
Marion County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Marion County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 34,048 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 33,642, in 13,316 households, ranking 21st of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Marion County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.89 percent since the 2020 census base of 33,417, to 34,048 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 327 births against 350 deaths, with net migration of 354. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Marion County?
$78,680. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $233,000, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $884 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Marion County?
859 establishments, employing 17,934 people with an annual payroll of $1.22 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Marion County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 8,599 jobs, 43.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 19,680 jobs at an average annual pay of $63,553, or $1,222 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Marion County?
25 7(a) approvals totaling $5.7 m since FY2020, across 13 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 10 504 approvals worth $4.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Marion County?
107 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $40.9 m. Multifamily was 5.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Marion 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 Marion County come from?
The largest single origin is Polk County, with 170 households. Arriving households report an average income of $69,052 against $60,171 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Marion 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 Marion 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.
Marion County
Cities and places in Marion.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Marion County. All 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pella | city | 10,720 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Knoxville | city | 7,473 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Pleasantville | city | 1,899 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Melcher | city | 1,176 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bussey | city | 414 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Harvey | city | 174 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hamilton | city | 107 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Marysville | city | 70 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Swan | city | 55 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 25 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Marion County, the largest being Johnston (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