Story County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Story County, Iowa had an estimated 102,498 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 98,534, across 573 square miles. County output reached $7.79 bn in 2024, 2,162 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 64 7(a) approvals worth $22.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Story County
How many people live in Story County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024100,466
- Households38,904
- Average household size2.58
- Median household income$69,685
- Median age26.9
- Median gross rent$1,018 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$258,700
- Home value to household income3.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher54.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree23.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over53,152
- Population under 1816,276
- Share under 1816.2 percent
- Population 65 and over13,275
- Share 65 and over13.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6470,915
- Civilian labor force57,404
- Unemployment rate4.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over68.2 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties8th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included619th of 3,222
Story County is the 8th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 16.2 percent against 13.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Story County
Is Story County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024102,498
- Census 2020 base population98,534
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.02 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024997
- Births, 2024842
- Deaths, 2024606
- Natural change, 2024236
- Net domestic migration, 2024-536
- Net international migration, 20241,289
- Total net migration, 2024753
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-303
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents684th of 3,144
The county has grown 4.02 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.
Story County
Where are people moving to Story County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,003
- People arriving, from those returns4,681
- Tax returns filed by households leaving3,653
- Net household movement-650
- Adjusted gross income arriving$167.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-53.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$55,800
- Average income of a leaving household$60,639
- Largest single originPolk County (570 households)
- Largest single destinationPolk County (857 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 570 | 950 | $32.9 m |
| Boone County | 194 | 308 | $10.8 m |
| Dallas County | 81 | 147 | $4.0 m |
| Marshall County | 66 | 117 | $3.0 m |
| Linn County | 62 | 89 | $2.3 m |
| Hamilton County | 61 | 85 | $3.5 m |
| Webster County | 49 | 84 | $3.4 m |
| Hardin County | 48 | 79 | $2.0 m |
Households arriving report $4,839 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. 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.
Story County
What is the Story County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$7.79 bn
- County GDP, 2023$7.31 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.6 percent
- GDP change over five years32.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes8th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes539th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$77,540
Output grew 6.6 percent in the latest year and 32.1 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.
Story County
Employment by industry in Story County
- Covered employment, annual average47,549
- Establishments reporting3,066
- Average annual pay$62,615
- Average weekly wage$1,204
- Retail trade, employment5,213
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,142
- Manufacturing, employment5,082
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$74,821
- Accommodation and food services, employment4,647
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,282
- Health care and social assistance, employment4,501
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$61,279
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment2,456
- Construction, employment1,917
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 5,213 | 286 | $32,142 |
| Manufacturing | 5,082 | 104 | $74,821 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,647 | 261 | $20,282 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,501 | 285 | $61,279 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 2,456 | 521 | $110,766 |
| Construction | 1,917 | 209 | $71,124 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,813 | 174 | $44,608 |
| Other services, except public administration | 1,133 | 217 | $49,237 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 5,213 jobs, 11.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Story County
How many businesses are in Story County?
- Establishments, all industries2,162
- Employment at those establishments33,500
- Annual payroll$1.88 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.5
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.
Story County
Building permits in Story County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024198
- Declared construction value permitted$72.0 m
- Single family units authorized152
- Multifamily units authorized46
- Multifamily share of units23.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$363,626
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.1
Single-family homes are 76.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Story County
SBA loans in Story County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded64
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$22.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$356,650
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$33,000
- 90th percentile approval$664,970
- Largest single approval$4,400,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)619
- Jobs per approval9.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active26
- Distinct industries receiving approvals38
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer4.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter50
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals7.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (10)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (10)
- 504 approvals recorded27
- 504 gross approval dollars$15.3 m
- Average 504 approval$568,000
- Median 504 approval$281,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval10.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved19.1
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (23)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$38.2 m
The average approval of $356,650 sits well above the median of $150,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 4.7 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.
Story County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Story County
Do SBA loans in Story County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded15
- Paid in full13
- Charged off2
- Status: Cancelled12
- Status: Exempt from disclosure34
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Paid in full13
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Only 15 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.
Story County
SBA lending by place in Story County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending7
- Ames, approvals42
- Roland, approvals6
- Slater, approvals5
- Huxley, approvals5
- Nevada, approvals3
- Story City, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Ames | 42 | $13,446,800 |
| Roland | 6 | $4,402,300 |
| Slater | 5 | $2,164,700 |
| Huxley | 5 | $790,000 |
| Nevada | 3 | $545,900 |
| Story City | 2 | $1,295,900 |
| Gilbert | 1 | $180,000 |
Ames accounts for 42 approvals against 6 in Roland. 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.
Story County
How large is Story County?
- Land area573 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties42nd of 99
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south23.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land175
- Establishments per square mile3.77
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.
Story County
Flood risk in Story County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Story County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190907
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 7
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book14
- Of those, participating in the NFIP14
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Story 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 Story County (community 190907), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 7, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Story 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. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 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 Story 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 Story County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024100,466
- Households38,904
- Average household size2.58
- Median household income$69,685
- Median age26.9
Common questions
Story County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Story County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 102,498 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 100,466, in 38,904 households, ranking 8th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Story County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.02 percent since the 2020 census base of 98,534, to 102,498 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 842 births against 606 deaths, with net migration of 753. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Story County?
$69,685. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $258,700, which is 3.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,018 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Story County?
2,162 establishments, employing 33,500 people with an annual payroll of $1.88 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 Story County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 5,213 jobs, 11.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 47,549 jobs at an average annual pay of $62,615, or $1,204 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Story County?
64 7(a) approvals totaling $22.8 m since FY2020, across 26 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 27 504 approvals worth $15.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Story County?
198 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $72.0 m. Multifamily was 23.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Story 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 Story County come from?
The largest single origin is Polk County, with 570 households. Arriving households report an average income of $55,800 against $60,639 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Story 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 Story 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.
Story County
Cities and places in Story.
15 Census places lie wholly or partly in Story County. All 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames | city | 67,669 | 42 | Wholly in this county |
| Nevada | city | 6,983 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Huxley | city | 4,544 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Story City | city | 3,398 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Roland | city | 1,559 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Slater | city | 1,401 | 5 | 74.9 percent here, 25.1 percent Boone County |
| Gilbert | city | 1,381 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Maxwell | city | 905 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cambridge | city | 803 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Colo | city | 686 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Zearing | city | 566 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Collins | city | 533 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kelley | city | 382 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sheldahl | city | 361 | None recorded | 31.6 percent here, 37.4 percent Polk County, 31.0 percent Boone County |
| McCallsburg | city | 326 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby