O'Brien County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
O'Brien County, Iowa had an estimated 14,260 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,180, across 573 square miles. County output reached $1.25 bn in 2024, 488 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 6 7(a) approvals worth $3.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
O'Brien County
How many people live in O'Brien County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,126
- Households5,809
- Average household size2.43
- Median household income$68,356
- Median age39.5
- Median gross rent$868 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$173,100
- Home value to household income2.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher22.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree4.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over9,643
- Population under 183,446
- Share under 1824.4 percent
- Population 65 and over2,989
- Share 65 and over21.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 647,691
- Civilian labor force7,221
- Unemployment rate1.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.6 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties56th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2215th of 3,222
O'Brien County is the 56th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.5 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 24.4 percent against 21.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
O'Brien County
Is O'Brien County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202414,260
- Census 2020 base population14,180
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.56 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024193
- Births, 2024167
- Deaths, 2024166
- Natural change, 20241
- Net domestic migration, 202474
- Net international migration, 2024121
- Total net migration, 2024195
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-111
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1624th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.56 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.
O'Brien County
Where are people moving to O'Brien County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving328
- People arriving, from those returns643
- Tax returns filed by households leaving362
- Net household movement-34
- Adjusted gross income arriving$16.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-5.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$49,930
- Average income of a leaving household$59,702
- Largest single originSioux County (64 households)
- Largest single destinationSioux County (48 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux County | 64 | 123 | $3.6 m |
| Osceola County | 29 | 70 | $1.5 m |
| Clay County | 25 | 48 | $1.4 m |
| Dickinson County | 22 | 35 | $970,000 |
Households arriving report $9,772 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.
O'Brien County
What is the O'Brien County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.25 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.14 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20249.8 percent
- GDP change over five years41.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes37th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1666th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$88,506
Output grew 9.8 percent in the latest year and 41.4 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.
O'Brien County
Employment by industry in O'Brien County
- Covered employment, annual average6,603
- Establishments reporting626
- Average annual pay$48,407
- Average weekly wage$931
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,150
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$45,348
- Manufacturing, employment790
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$67,009
- Retail trade, employment736
- Retail trade, average annual pay$27,747
- Wholesale trade, employment572
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$69,110
- Accommodation and food services, employment386
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment265
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,150 | 61 | $45,348 |
| Manufacturing | 790 | 21 | $67,009 |
| Retail trade | 736 | 73 | $27,747 |
| Wholesale trade | 572 | 56 | $69,110 |
| Accommodation and food services | 386 | 31 | $14,509 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 265 | 44 | $59,050 |
| Finance and insurance | 252 | 43 | $74,264 |
| Construction | 230 | 55 | $53,497 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,150 jobs, 17.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
O'Brien County
How many businesses are in O'Brien County?
- Establishments, all industries488
- Employment at those establishments5,332
- Annual payroll$228.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents34.5
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.
O'Brien County
Building permits in O'Brien County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20249
- Declared construction value permitted$4.0 m
- Single family units authorized9
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$449,000
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.5
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.
O'Brien County
SBA loans in O'Brien County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded6
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$3.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$524,167
- Median 7(a) approval$324,850
- Largest single approval$1,510,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)54
- Jobs per approval9.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active4
- Distinct industries receiving approvals5
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer33.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter4
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals50.0 percent
- Most active lenderNorthwest Bank (3)
- 504 approvals recorded8
- 504 gross approval dollars$7.1 m
- Average 504 approval$890,125
- Median 504 approval$642,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval6.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved6.9
- Most active CDCSiouxland Economic Development Corporation (8)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$10.3 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.
O'Brien County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in O'Brien County
Do SBA loans in O'Brien County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure5
- 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.
O'Brien County
SBA lending by place in O'Brien County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Sheldon, approvals3
- Hartley, approvals2
- Sanborn, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Sheldon | 3 | $2,460,000 |
| Hartley | 2 | $353,900 |
| Sanborn | 1 | $331,100 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
O'Brien County
How large is O'Brien County?
- Land area573 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties41st of 99
- Width, east to west23.9 mi
- Height, north to south24.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land25
- Establishments per square mile0.85
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.
O'Brien County
Flood risk in O'Brien County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community O'Brien County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190895
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate55.6 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in O'Brien 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 O'Brien County (community 190895), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places O'Brien 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. 55.6 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 O'Brien 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 O'Brien County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,126
- Households5,809
- Average household size2.43
- Median household income$68,356
- Median age39.5
Common questions
O'Brien County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in O'Brien County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 14,260 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 14,126, in 5,809 households, ranking 56th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is O'Brien County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.56 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,180, to 14,260 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 167 births against 166 deaths, with net migration of 195. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in O'Brien County?
$68,356. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $173,100, which is 2.5 times income, and median gross rent is $868 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in O'Brien County?
488 establishments, employing 5,332 people with an annual payroll of $228.2 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 O'Brien County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,150 jobs, 17.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 6,603 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,407, or $931 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in O'Brien County?
6 7(a) approvals totaling $3.1 m since FY2020, across 4 lenders, with a median approval of $324,850, plus 8 504 approvals worth $7.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in O'Brien County?
9 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $4.0 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for O'Brien 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 O'Brien County come from?
The largest single origin is Sioux County, with 64 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,930 against $59,702 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for O'Brien 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 O'Brien 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.
O'Brien County
Cities and places in O'Brien.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in O'Brien 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheldon | city | 5,474 | 3 | 85.4 percent here, 14.6 percent Sioux County |
| Hartley | city | 1,553 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Sanborn | city | 1,323 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Primghar | city | 1,014 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Paullina | city | 869 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sutherland | city | 629 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Archer | city | 130 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Calumet | city | 113 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby