Wapello County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Wapello County, Iowa had an estimated 35,681 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 35,435, across 432 square miles. County output reached $2.16 bn in 2024, 699 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 28 7(a) approvals worth $11.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Wapello County
How many people live in Wapello County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202435,362
- Households13,997
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$64,766
- Median age39.2
- Median gross rent$920 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$125,100
- Home value to household income1.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher19.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over24,009
- Population under 188,432
- Share under 1823.8 percent
- Population 65 and over6,496
- Share 65 and over18.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6420,434
- Civilian labor force17,251
- Unemployment rate4.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.1 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties20th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1333rd of 3,222
Wapello County is the 20th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 1.9 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.8 percent against 18.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wapello County
Is Wapello County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202435,681
- Census 2020 base population35,435
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.69 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024264
- Births, 2024458
- Deaths, 2024423
- Natural change, 202435
- Net domestic migration, 2024-239
- Net international migration, 2024467
- Total net migration, 2024228
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-715
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1590th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.69 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.
Wapello County
Where are people moving to Wapello County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving762
- People arriving, from those returns1,436
- Tax returns filed by households leaving964
- Net household movement-202
- Adjusted gross income arriving$32.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-11.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$42,988
- Average income of a leaving household$45,405
- Largest single originMahaska County (63 households)
- Largest single destinationPolk County (97 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahaska County | 63 | 129 | $3.4 m |
| Davis County | 48 | 73 | $1.6 m |
| Jefferson County | 38 | 83 | $2.0 m |
| Polk County | 36 | 76 | $2.1 m |
| Washington County | 27 | 79 | $606,000 |
| Monroe County | 23 | 47 | $898,000 |
| Appanoose County | 21 | 33 | $821,000 |
Households arriving report $2,417 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Mahaska 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.
Wapello County
What is the Wapello County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.16 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.16 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.0 percent
- GDP change over five years23.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes20th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1214th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$61,077
Output grew 0.0 percent in the latest year and 23.4 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.
Wapello County
Employment by industry in Wapello County
- Covered employment, annual average15,384
- Establishments reporting887
- Average annual pay$53,071
- Average weekly wage$1,021
- Manufacturing, employment3,722
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$75,516
- Retail trade, employment2,066
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,559
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,049
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$54,006
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,204
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$17,080
- Transportation and warehousing, employment646
- Construction, employment586
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,722 | 31 | $75,516 |
| Retail trade | 2,066 | 114 | $33,559 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,049 | 131 | $54,006 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,204 | 79 | $17,080 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 646 | 38 | $55,495 |
| Construction | 586 | 66 | $68,428 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 553 | 58 | $44,766 |
| Other services, except public administration | 325 | 59 | $33,391 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,722 jobs, 24.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Wapello County
How many businesses are in Wapello County?
- Establishments, all industries699
- Employment at those establishments12,594
- Annual payroll$625.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.8
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.
Wapello County
Building permits in Wapello County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202445
- Declared construction value permitted$11.6 m
- Single family units authorized39
- Multifamily units authorized6
- Multifamily share of units13.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$258,696
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.2
Single-family homes are 86.7 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wapello County
SBA loans in Wapello County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded28
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$11.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$411,486
- Median 7(a) approval$170,700
- 10th percentile approval$23,590
- 90th percentile approval$815,990
- Largest single approval$2,670,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)173
- Jobs per approval6.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active12
- Distinct industries receiving approvals20
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer21.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter19
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals7.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFitness and Recreational Sports Centers (3)
- Most active lenderCommunity 1st CU (11)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.2 m
- Average 504 approval$438,800
- Median 504 approval$361,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval7.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved16.0
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$13.7 m
The average approval of $411,486 sits well above the median of $170,700, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 21.4 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.
Wapello County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Wapello County
Do SBA loans in Wapello County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded9
- Paid in full9
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure18
- Status: Paid in full9
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 9 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.
Wapello County
SBA lending by place in Wapello County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Ottumwa, approvals26
- Agency, approvals1
- Eddyville, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Ottumwa | 26 | $11,442,800 |
| Agency | 1 | $58,500 |
| Eddyville | 1 | $20,300 |
Ottumwa accounts for 26 approvals against 1 in Agency. 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.
Wapello County
How large is Wapello County?
- Land area432 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties87th of 99
- Width, east to west24.1 mi
- Height, north to south18.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land82
- Establishments per square mile1.62
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.
Wapello County
Flood risk in Wapello County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Wapello County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190911
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate87.5 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Wapello 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 Wapello County (community 190911), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Wapello 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. 87.5 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 Wapello 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 Wapello County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202435,362
- Households13,997
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$64,766
- Median age39.2
Common questions
Wapello County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wapello County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 35,681 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 35,362, in 13,997 households, ranking 20th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wapello County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.69 percent since the 2020 census base of 35,435, to 35,681 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 458 births against 423 deaths, with net migration of 228. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wapello County?
$64,766. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $125,100, which is 1.9 times income, and median gross rent is $920 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Wapello County?
699 establishments, employing 12,594 people with an annual payroll of $625.1 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 Wapello County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,722 jobs, 24.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 15,384 jobs at an average annual pay of $53,071, or $1,021 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wapello County?
28 7(a) approvals totaling $11.5 m since FY2020, across 12 lenders, with a median approval of $170,700, plus 5 504 approvals worth $2.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Wapello County?
45 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $11.6 m. Multifamily was 13.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wapello 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 Wapello County come from?
The largest single origin is Mahaska County, with 63 households. Arriving households report an average income of $42,988 against $45,405 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Wapello 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 Wapello 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.
Wapello County
Cities and places in Wapello.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Wapello County. All 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottumwa | city | 25,430 | 26 | Wholly in this county |
| Eddyville | city | 1,163 | 1 | 71.4 percent here, 26.4 percent Mahaska County, 2.2 percent Monroe County |
| Eldon | city | 726 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Agency | city | 435 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Blakesburg | city | 310 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kirkville | city | 266 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chillicothe | city | 83 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby