Winnebago County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Winnebago County, Iowa had an estimated 10,383 residents on July 1, 2024, down 2.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 10,676, across 400 square miles. County output reached $690.1 m in 2024, 300 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 5 7(a) approvals worth $1.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Winnebago County
How many people live in Winnebago County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202410,583
- Households4,641
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$67,642
- Median age42.7
- Median gross rent$717 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$135,000
- Home value to household income2.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income12.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher26.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over7,338
- Population under 182,229
- Share under 1821.1 percent
- Population 65 and over2,341
- Share 65 and over22.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 646,013
- Civilian labor force5,482
- Unemployment rate3.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.6 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties70th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2447th of 3,222
Winnebago County is the 70th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.1 percent against 21.1 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Winnebago County
Is Winnebago County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202410,383
- Census 2020 base population10,676
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.74 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-180
- Births, 202486
- Deaths, 2024139
- Natural change, 2024-53
- Net domestic migration, 2024-134
- Net international migration, 20245
- Total net migration, 2024-129
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-141
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2687th of 3,144
The county has lost 2.74 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. The population fell in 2024 from both sources: deaths exceeded births and more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Winnebago County
Where are people moving to Winnebago County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving241
- People arriving, from those returns423
- Tax returns filed by households leaving260
- Net household movement-19
- Adjusted gross income arriving$12.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$385,000
- Average income of an arriving household$51,253
- Average income of a leaving household$46,027
- Largest single originWorth County (29 households)
- Largest single destinationCerro Gordo County (44 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worth County | 29 | 54 | $1.6 m |
| Cerro Gordo County | 27 | 37 | $860,000 |
| Hancock County | 21 | 38 | $761,000 |
Households arriving report $5,226 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Worth 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.
Winnebago County
What is the Winnebago County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$690.1 m
- County GDP, 2023$633.9 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20248.9 percent
- GDP change over five years48.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes73rd of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2154th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$65,205
Output grew 8.9 percent in the latest year and 48.9 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.
Winnebago County
Employment by industry in Winnebago County
- Covered employment, annual average4,041
- Establishments reporting393
- Average annual pay$47,021
- Average weekly wage$904
- Retail trade, employment508
- Retail trade, average annual pay$38,398
- Manufacturing, employment307
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$55,271
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment282
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, average annual pay$62,298
- Accommodation and food services, employment188
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$13,577
- Construction, employment174
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment149
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 508 | 44 | $38,398 |
| Manufacturing | 307 | 22 | $55,271 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 282 | 19 | $62,298 |
| Accommodation and food services | 188 | 19 | $13,577 |
| Construction | 174 | 35 | $63,590 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 149 | 32 | $62,906 |
| Information | 81 | 10 | $61,596 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 68 | 5 | $16,470 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 508 jobs, 12.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Winnebago County
How many businesses are in Winnebago County?
- Establishments, all industries300
- Employment at those establishments6,043
- Annual payroll$314.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.3
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.
Winnebago County
Building permits in Winnebago County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20244
- Declared construction value permitted$1.6 m
- Single family units authorized4
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$410,325
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.9
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.
Winnebago County
SBA loans in Winnebago County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded5
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$1.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$371,680
- Median 7(a) approval$35,000
- Largest single approval$1,700,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)10
- Jobs per approval2.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active2
- Distinct industries receiving approvals4
- Median 7(a) term93 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 shorter4
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderClear Lake Bank & Trust Company (3)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$777,000
- Average 504 approval$388,500
- Median 504 approval$388,500
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval2.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved6.4
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$2.6 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.
Winnebago County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Winnebago County
Do SBA loans in Winnebago County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure1
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 3 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.
Winnebago County
SBA lending by place in Winnebago County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Forest City, approvals2
- Lake Mills, approvals2
- Leland, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Forest City | 2 | $120,000 |
| Lake Mills | 2 | $38,400 |
| Leland | 1 | $1,700,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Winnebago County
How large is Winnebago County?
- Land area400 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties96th of 99
- Width, east to west23.8 mi
- Height, north to south16.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land26
- Establishments per square mile0.75
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.
Winnebago County
Flood risk in Winnebago County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Winnebago County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190915
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate62.5 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Winnebago 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 Winnebago County (community 190915), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Winnebago 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. 62.5 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 Winnebago 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 Winnebago County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202410,583
- Households4,641
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$67,642
- Median age42.7
Common questions
Winnebago County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Winnebago County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 10,383 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 10,583, in 4,641 households, ranking 70th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Winnebago County's population growing?
The population has fallen 2.74 percent since the 2020 census base of 10,676, to 10,383 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 86 births against 139 deaths, with net migration of -129. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Winnebago County?
$67,642. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $135,000, which is 2.0 times income, and median gross rent is $717 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Winnebago County?
300 establishments, employing 6,043 people with an annual payroll of $314.3 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 Winnebago County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 508 jobs, 12.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 4,041 jobs at an average annual pay of $47,021, or $904 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Winnebago County?
5 7(a) approvals totaling $1.9 m since FY2020, across 2 lenders, with a median approval of $35,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $777,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Winnebago County?
4 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.6 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Winnebago 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 Winnebago County come from?
The largest single origin is Worth County, with 29 households. Arriving households report an average income of $51,253 against $46,027 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Winnebago 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 Winnebago 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.
Winnebago County
Cities and places in Winnebago.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Winnebago 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest City | city | 4,290 | 2 | 55.4 percent here, 44.6 percent Hancock County |
| Lake Mills | city | 2,088 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Buffalo Center | city | 911 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Thompson | city | 459 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Leland | city | 306 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Rake | city | 190 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Scarville | city | 66 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby