Mills County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Mills County, Iowa had an estimated 14,717 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,503, across 437 square miles. County output reached $645.3 m in 2024, 331 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 7 7(a) approvals worth $1.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Mills County
How many people live in Mills County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,568
- Households5,394
- Average household size2.70
- Median household income$90,753
- Median age42.1
- Median gross rent$959 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$237,800
- Home value to household income2.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income12.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher31.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over10,243
- Population under 183,326
- Share under 1822.8 percent
- Population 65 and over2,921
- Share 65 and over20.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 648,321
- Civilian labor force7,069
- Unemployment rate2.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.9 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties53rd of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2181st of 3,222
Mills County is the 53rd largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.6 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.8 percent against 20.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Mills County
Is Mills County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202414,717
- Census 2020 base population14,503
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.48 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202475
- Births, 2024130
- Deaths, 2024191
- Natural change, 2024-61
- Net domestic migration, 2024133
- Net international migration, 20247
- Total net migration, 2024140
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024426
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1340th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.48 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.
Mills County
Where are people moving to Mills County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving413
- People arriving, from those returns773
- Tax returns filed by households leaving400
- Net household movement13
- Adjusted gross income arriving$28.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$3.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$69,726
- Average income of a leaving household$64,195
- Largest single originPottawattamie County (90 households)
- Largest single destinationPottawattamie County (82 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pottawattamie County | 90 | 169 | $6.3 m |
| Douglas County | 78 | 140 | $5.9 m |
| Sarpy County | 70 | 150 | $6.0 m |
| Fremont County | 33 | 51 | $1.8 m |
Households arriving report $5,531 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 Pottawattamie 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.
Mills County
What is the Mills County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$645.3 m
- County GDP, 2023$644.6 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.1 percent
- GDP change over five years14.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes77th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2219th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$44,296
Output grew 0.1 percent in the latest year and 14.2 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.
Mills County
Employment by industry in Mills County
- Covered employment, annual average3,361
- Establishments reporting458
- Average annual pay$55,050
- Average weekly wage$1,059
- Retail trade, employment388
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,708
- Manufacturing, employment236
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$79,668
- Construction, employment215
- Construction, average annual pay$72,676
- Accommodation and food services, employment210
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$17,116
- Wholesale trade, employment200
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment141
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 388 | 37 | $31,708 |
| Manufacturing | 236 | 12 | $79,668 |
| Construction | 215 | 54 | $72,676 |
| Accommodation and food services | 210 | 19 | $17,116 |
| Wholesale trade | 200 | 33 | $109,920 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 141 | 32 | $60,217 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 135 | 54 | $77,750 |
| Finance and insurance | 105 | 23 | $73,271 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 388 jobs, 11.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Mills County
How many businesses are in Mills County?
- Establishments, all industries331
- Employment at those establishments2,291
- Annual payroll$116.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.7
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.
Mills County
Building permits in Mills County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202440
- Declared construction value permitted$11.6 m
- Single family units authorized40
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$290,571
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.4
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.
Mills County
SBA loans in Mills County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded7
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$1.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$221,357
- Median 7(a) approval$127,700
- Largest single approval$500,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)96
- Jobs per approval13.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active5
- Distinct industries receiving approvals6
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer0.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms0
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals28.6 percent
- 504 approvals recorded4
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.9 m
- Average 504 approval$718,250
- Median 504 approval$512,500
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval8.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.5
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$4.4 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.
Mills County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Mills County
Do SBA loans in Mills County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure2
- Status: Paid in full1
Only 1 loan has 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.
Mills County
SBA lending by place in Mills County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Glenwood, approvals4
- Pacific Junction, approvals1
- Emerson, approvals1
- Malvern, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Glenwood | 4 | $1,342,800 |
| Pacific Junction | 1 | $127,700 |
| Emerson | 1 | $50,000 |
| Malvern | 1 | $29,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Mills County
How large is Mills County?
- Land area437 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties79th of 99
- Width, east to west25.2 mi
- Height, north to south17.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land33
- Establishments per square mile0.76
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.
Mills County
Flood risk in Mills County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Mills County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190891
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Mills 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 Mills County (community 190891), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Mills 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. 100.0 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 Mills 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 Mills County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,568
- Households5,394
- Average household size2.70
- Median household income$90,753
- Median age42.1
Common questions
Mills County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Mills County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 14,717 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 14,568, in 5,394 households, ranking 53rd of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Mills County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.48 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,503, to 14,717 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 130 births against 191 deaths, with net migration of 140. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Mills County?
$90,753. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $237,800, which is 2.6 times income, and median gross rent is $959 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Mills County?
331 establishments, employing 2,291 people with an annual payroll of $116.2 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 Mills County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 388 jobs, 11.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 3,361 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,050, or $1,059 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Mills County?
7 7(a) approvals totaling $1.5 m since FY2020, across 5 lenders, with a median approval of $127,700, plus 4 504 approvals worth $2.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Mills County?
40 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $11.6 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Mills 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 Mills County come from?
The largest single origin is Pottawattamie County, with 90 households. Arriving households report an average income of $69,726 against $64,195 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Mills 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 Mills 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.
Mills County
Cities and places in Mills.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Mills 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenwood | city | 5,144 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Malvern | city | 1,323 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Tabor | city | 877 | None recorded | 5.8 percent here, 94.2 percent Fremont County |
| Emerson | city | 570 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Silver City | city | 504 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hastings | city | 164 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pacific Junction | city | 150 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Henderson | city | 143 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mineola | CDP | 110 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby