Plymouth County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Plymouth County, Iowa had an estimated 25,825 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 25,698, across 863 square miles. County output reached $2.00 bn in 2024, 667 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 6 7(a) approvals worth $2.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Plymouth County
How many people live in Plymouth County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202425,747
- Households10,313
- Average household size2.50
- Median household income$83,251
- Median age41.3
- Median gross rent$910 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$228,900
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over17,506
- Population under 186,443
- Share under 1825.0 percent
- Population 65 and over5,096
- Share 65 and over19.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6414,208
- Civilian labor force13,823
- Unemployment rate2.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over71.6 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties24th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1625th of 3,222
Plymouth County is the 24th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.0 percent against 19.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Plymouth County
Is Plymouth County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202425,825
- Census 2020 base population25,698
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.49 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202460
- Births, 2024314
- Deaths, 2024288
- Natural change, 202426
- Net domestic migration, 2024-91
- Net international migration, 2024123
- Total net migration, 202432
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-309
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1657th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.49 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.
Plymouth County
Where are people moving to Plymouth County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving612
- People arriving, from those returns1,087
- Tax returns filed by households leaving675
- Net household movement-63
- Adjusted gross income arriving$30.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-8.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$49,982
- Average income of a leaving household$58,390
- Largest single originWoodbury County (182 households)
- Largest single destinationWoodbury County (188 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodbury County | 182 | 326 | $8.9 m |
| Sioux County | 47 | 72 | $2.4 m |
| Cherokee County | 25 | 43 | $833,000 |
Households arriving report $8,408 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Woodbury 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.
Plymouth County
What is the Plymouth County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.00 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.98 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.0 percent
- GDP change over five years43.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes21st of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1286th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$77,565
Output grew 1.0 percent in the latest year and 43.0 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.
Plymouth County
Employment by industry in Plymouth County
- Covered employment, annual average11,726
- Establishments reporting878
- Average annual pay$59,524
- Average weekly wage$1,145
- Manufacturing, employment3,026
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$73,612
- Transportation and warehousing, employment1,154
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$67,368
- Retail trade, employment1,080
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,132
- Accommodation and food services, employment825
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$14,858
- Wholesale trade, employment446
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment365
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,026 | 41 | $73,612 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,154 | 71 | $67,368 |
| Retail trade | 1,080 | 84 | $34,132 |
| Accommodation and food services | 825 | 60 | $14,858 |
| Wholesale trade | 446 | 48 | $80,533 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 365 | 38 | $63,320 |
| Construction | 361 | 90 | $59,275 |
| Finance and insurance | 322 | 58 | $69,224 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,026 jobs, 25.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Plymouth County
How many businesses are in Plymouth County?
- Establishments, all industries667
- Employment at those establishments10,405
- Annual payroll$715.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.9
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.
Plymouth County
Building permits in Plymouth County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024146
- Declared construction value permitted$25.6 m
- Single family units authorized28
- Multifamily units authorized118
- Multifamily share of units80.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$175,227
- Units authorized per 1,000 households14.2
Multifamily is 80.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Plymouth County
SBA loans in Plymouth County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded6
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$2.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$451,917
- Median 7(a) approval$182,500
- Largest single approval$1,611,500
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)72
- Jobs per approval12.0
- 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 loans1
- Franchise share of approvals16.7 percent
- 504 approvals recorded23
- 504 gross approval dollars$20.6 m
- Average 504 approval$897,391
- Median 504 approval$496,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval2.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved2.7
- Most active CDCSiouxland Economic Development Corporation (20)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$23.4 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.
Plymouth County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Plymouth County
Do SBA loans in Plymouth County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure2
- Status: Cancelled2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
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.
Plymouth County
SBA lending by place in Plymouth County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Le Mars, approvals3
- Kingsley, approvals2
- Remsen, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Le Mars | 3 | $2,391,500 |
| Kingsley | 2 | $300,000 |
| Remsen | 1 | $20,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Plymouth County
How large is Plymouth County?
- Land area863 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties4th of 99
- Width, east to west39.6 mi
- Height, north to south24.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land30
- Establishments per square mile0.77
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.
Plymouth County
Flood risk in Plymouth County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Plymouth County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190899
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book11
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- NFIP participation rate90.9 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Plymouth 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 Plymouth County (community 190899), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Plymouth 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. 90.9 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 Plymouth 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 Plymouth County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202425,747
- Households10,313
- Average household size2.50
- Median household income$83,251
- Median age41.3
Common questions
Plymouth County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Plymouth County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 25,825 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 25,747, in 10,313 households, ranking 24th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Plymouth County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.49 percent since the 2020 census base of 25,698, to 25,825 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 314 births against 288 deaths, with net migration of 32. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Plymouth County?
$83,251. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $228,900, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $910 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Plymouth County?
667 establishments, employing 10,405 people with an annual payroll of $715.0 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 Plymouth County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,026 jobs, 25.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 11,726 jobs at an average annual pay of $59,524, or $1,145 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Plymouth County?
6 7(a) approvals totaling $2.7 m since FY2020, across 5 lenders, with a median approval of $182,500, plus 23 504 approvals worth $20.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Plymouth County?
146 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $25.6 m. Multifamily was 80.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Plymouth 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 Plymouth County come from?
The largest single origin is Woodbury County, with 182 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,982 against $58,390 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Plymouth 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 Plymouth 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.
Plymouth County
Cities and places in Plymouth.
11 Census places lie wholly or partly in Plymouth County. All 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Mars | city | 10,640 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Remsen | city | 1,823 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Akron | city | 1,689 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kingsley | city | 1,472 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Hinton | city | 931 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Merrill | city | 846 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Brunsville | city | 210 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Westfield | city | 123 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oyens | city | 81 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Struble | city | 76 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Craig | city | 49 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby