Polk County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Polk County, Iowa has a population of 503,175 across 574 square miles, up 4.8 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $63.82 bn in 2024, 13,890 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 609 7(a) approvals worth $268.2 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections · underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency
Polk County
How many people live in Polk County
- Population503,175
- Households205,358
- Average household size2.45
- Median household income$83,576
- Median age36.2
- Median gross rent$1,149 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$262,100
- Home value to household income3.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher40.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree13.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over336,387
- Population under 18122,594
- Share under 1824.4 percent
- Population 65 and over70,275
- Share 65 and over14.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64310,306
- Civilian labor force280,850
- Unemployment rate4.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over73.8 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties1st of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents144th
Polk County is the 1st largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 3.1 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 24.4 percent against 14.0 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Polk County
Is Polk County's population growing?
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.83 percent
- Census 2020 base population492,402
- Births, 20246,453
- Deaths, 20243,991
- Natural change, 20242,462
- Net domestic migration, 20241,216
- Net international migration, 20244,984
- Total net migration, 20246,200
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,447
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents556th
The county has grown 4.83 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Polk County
Where are people moving to Polk County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving13,078
- People arriving, from those returns20,885
- Adjusted gross income arriving$825.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$63,088
- Largest single originPolk County Non-migrants (191,385 households)
- Largest single destination (191,385 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County Non-migrants | 191,385 | 390,564 | $18.65 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 3,226 | 5,461 | $210.3 m |
| Dallas County | 2,107 | 3,418 | $153.3 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,213 | 2,035 | $76.1 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 1,105 | 1,859 | $70.9 m |
| Story County | 857 | 1,190 | $41.8 m |
| Warren County | 730 | 1,268 | $45.8 m |
| Other flows - West | 556 | 972 | $37.9 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Polk County Non-migrants, 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.
Polk County
What is the Polk County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$63.82 bn
- County GDP, 2023$59.55 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.2 percent
- GDP change over five years30.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among Iowa counties1st
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents92nd
- GDP per resident$126,841
Output grew 7.2 percent in the latest year and 30.0 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.
Polk County
Largest employers in Polk County
- Covered employment, annual average317,845
- Establishments reporting20,581
- Average annual pay$72,557
- Average weekly wage$1,395
- Sector 62, employment39,472
- Sector 62, average annual pay$61,984
- Sector 52, employment31,508
- Sector 52, average annual pay$120,866
- Sector 44-45, employment30,431
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$39,944
- Sector 72, employment24,283
- Sector 72, average annual pay$26,894
- Sector 23, employment20,807
- Sector 54, employment20,120
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 39,472 | 2,057 | $61,984 |
| Sector 52 | 31,508 | 1,548 | $120,866 |
| Sector 44-45 | 30,431 | 1,717 | $39,944 |
| Sector 72 | 24,283 | 1,275 | $26,894 |
| Sector 23 | 20,807 | 1,462 | $82,065 |
| Sector 54 | 20,120 | 3,392 | $105,432 |
| Sector 31-33 | 19,917 | 500 | $74,964 |
| Sector 42 | 17,868 | 1,670 | $101,402 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 39,472 jobs, 12.4 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Polk County
How many businesses are in Polk County?
- Establishments, all industries13,890
- Employment at those establishments295,413
- Annual payroll$19.63 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents27.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Polk County
Building permits in Polk County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20242,949
- Declared construction value permitted$977.9 m
- Single family units authorised2,295
- Multifamily units authorised654
- Multifamily share of units22.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$331,601
- Units authorised per 1,000 households14.4
Multifamily is 22.2 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Polk County
SBA loans in Polk County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded609
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$268.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$440,456
- Median 7(a) approval$175,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,043,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)7,330
- Jobs per approval12.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active104
- Distinct industries receiving approvals207
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer6.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms41
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter522
- Franchise loans109
- Franchise share of approvals17.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (33)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (88)
- 504 approvals recorded215
- 504 gross approval dollars$163.8 m
- Average 504 approval$762,037
- Median 504 approval$475,000
- Distinct CDCs active10
- 504 jobs per approval11.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved15.7
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (143)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals73.9 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$432.1 m
The average approval of $440,456 sits well above the median of $175,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 6.7 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.
Polk County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Polk County
Do SBA loans in Polk County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded122
- Paid in full112
- Charged off10
- Charge off rate on resolved loans8.2 percent
- Status: Charged off10
- Status: Exempt from disclosure398
- Status: Paid in full112
- Status: Cancelled64
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed25
Of the 122 loans that have reached a final outcome, 8.2 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
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.
Polk County
SBA lending by place in Polk County
- Places in the county with recorded lending20
- DES MOINES, approvals188
- ANKENY, approvals96
- WEST DES MOINES, approvals85
- URBANDALE, approvals79
- GRIMES, approvals39
- JOHNSTON, approvals33
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| DES MOINES | 188 | $84,542,200 |
| ANKENY | 96 | $36,420,700 |
| WEST DES MOINES | 85 | $39,732,000 |
| URBANDALE | 79 | $31,908,500 |
| GRIMES | 39 | $24,039,800 |
| JOHNSTON | 33 | $11,843,200 |
| Clive | 29 | $17,398,900 |
| ALTOONA | 20 | $11,585,700 |
DES MOINES accounts for 188 approvals against 96 in ANKENY. 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.
Polk County
How large is Polk County?
- Land area574 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties40th of 99
- Width, east to west25.2 mi
- Height, north to south25.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land877
- Establishments per square mile24.20
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.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Polk 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 Polk County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population503,175
- Households205,358
- Average household size2.45
- Median household income$83,576
- Median age36.2
Common questions
Polk County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Polk County, Iowa?
503,175, in 205,358 households, ranking 1st of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Polk County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.83 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 6,453 births against 3,991 deaths, with net migration of 6,200. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Polk County?
$83,576. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $262,100, which is 3.1 times income, and median gross rent is $1,149 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Polk County?
13,890 establishments, employing 295,413 people with an annual payroll of $19.63 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Polk County?
Average annual pay is $72,557, or $1,395 a week, across 317,845 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Polk County?
609 7(a) approvals totalling $268.2 m since FY2020, across 104 lenders, with a median approval of $175,000, plus 215 504 approvals worth $163.8 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Polk County get paid back?
Of the 122 loans that have reached a final outcome, 112 were paid in full and 10 charged off, a charge off rate of 8.2 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Polk County?
2,949 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $977.9 m. Multifamily was 22.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Polk 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 Polk County come from?
The largest single origin is Polk County Non-migrants, with 191,385 households. Arriving households report an average income of $63,088 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Polk 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 Polk County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.
Polk County
Cities and places in Polk.
18 Census places lie wholly or partly in Polk County. 18 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked. The rest are named here and not linked, because the American Community Survey and the SBA record between them do not carry enough about them to write an honest page. A place existing is itself worth knowing, so nothing in the county is left out.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA approvals | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | city | 212,421 | 190 | 92.9 percent here, 7.1 percent Warren County |
| Ankeny | city | 72,615 | 96 | Wholly in this county |
| Urbandale | city | 46,595 | 86 | 67.5 percent here, 32.5 percent Dallas County |
| Johnston | city | 24,384 | 34 | Wholly in this county |
| Altoona | city | 21,495 | 20 | Wholly in this county |
| Clive | city | 19,012 | 32 | 61.2 percent here, 38.8 percent Dallas County |
| Grimes | city | 16,366 | 39 | 84.1 percent here, 15.9 percent Dallas County |
| Pleasant Hill | city | 11,136 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Bondurant | city | 8,560 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Polk City | city | 6,037 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Windsor Heights | city | 5,143 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Carlisle | city | 4,255 | 5 | 59.0 percent here, 41.0 percent Warren County |
| Saylorville | CDP | 3,366 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mitchellville | city | 2,579 | 1 | 97.6 percent here, 2.4 percent Jasper County |
| Granger | city | 1,979 | 2 | 44.4 percent here, 55.6 percent Dallas County |
| Elkhart | city | 899 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Runnells | city | 440 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Alleman | city | 429 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 152 SBA approvals in Polk County are recorded against borrower cities that match no Census place, the largest being West Des Moines, Polk City, Richmond. Those are postal cities and unincorporated areas rather than incorporated places, so no page claims them, and their lending is counted in this county's totals above rather than under any city.