Winneshiek County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Winneshiek County, Iowa had an estimated 19,723 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 20,069, across 690 square miles. County output reached $1.35 bn in 2024, 604 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 7 7(a) approvals worth $4.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Winneshiek County
How many people live in Winneshiek County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202419,873
- Households8,139
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$79,066
- Median age42.6
- Median gross rent$861 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$259,200
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher31.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over13,490
- Population under 183,714
- Share under 1818.7 percent
- Population 65 and over4,632
- Share 65 and over23.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6411,527
- Civilian labor force11,010
- Unemployment rate2.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over68.1 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties34th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1889th of 3,222
Winneshiek County is the 34th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.3 percent against 18.7 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.
Winneshiek County
Is Winneshiek County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202419,723
- Census 2020 base population20,069
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.72 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-5
- Births, 2024189
- Deaths, 2024235
- Natural change, 2024-46
- Net domestic migration, 2024-13
- Net international migration, 202455
- Total net migration, 202442
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-351
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2426th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.72 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Winneshiek County
Where are people moving to Winneshiek County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving399
- People arriving, from those returns661
- Tax returns filed by households leaving432
- Net household movement-33
- Adjusted gross income arriving$22.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-2.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$56,802
- Average income of a leaving household$57,236
- Largest single originHoward County (38 households)
- Largest single destinationAllamakee County (40 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County | 38 | 65 | $2.4 m |
| Fayette County | 32 | 51 | $1.3 m |
| Allamakee County | 27 | 53 | $1.6 m |
Households arriving report $434 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Howard 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.
Winneshiek County
What is the Winneshiek County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.35 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.31 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.0 percent
- GDP change over five years27.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes33rd of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1594th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$68,120
Output grew 3.0 percent in the latest year and 27.6 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.
Winneshiek County
Employment by industry in Winneshiek County
- Covered employment, annual average10,479
- Establishments reporting767
- Average annual pay$51,439
- Average weekly wage$989
- Manufacturing, employment1,441
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$58,625
- Retail trade, employment1,313
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,953
- Health care and social assistance, employment860
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$59,473
- Accommodation and food services, employment846
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$17,632
- Educational services, employment628
- Construction, employment610
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,441 | 33 | $58,625 |
| Retail trade | 1,313 | 96 | $33,953 |
| Health care and social assistance | 860 | 70 | $59,473 |
| Accommodation and food services | 846 | 54 | $17,632 |
| Educational services | 628 | 17 | $50,260 |
| Construction | 610 | 64 | $74,168 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 450 | 36 | $54,879 |
| Wholesale trade | 412 | 63 | $69,220 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,441 jobs, 13.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Winneshiek County
How many businesses are in Winneshiek County?
- Establishments, all industries604
- Employment at those establishments9,065
- Annual payroll$418.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents30.4
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.
Winneshiek County
Building permits in Winneshiek County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202447
- Declared construction value permitted$18.4 m
- Single family units authorized35
- Multifamily units authorized12
- Multifamily share of units25.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$391,957
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.8
Single-family homes are 74.5 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Winneshiek County
SBA loans in Winneshiek County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded7
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$4.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$680,314
- Median 7(a) approval$720,000
- Largest single approval$1,200,100
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)104
- Jobs per approval14.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals5
- Median 7(a) term240 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer57.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter3
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals28.6 percent
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (4)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.5 m
- Average 504 approval$1,303,200
- Median 504 approval$890,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval5.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved4.5
- Most active CDCBlack Hawk Economic Development, Inc. (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$11.3 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.
Winneshiek County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Winneshiek County
Do SBA loans in Winneshiek County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure4
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Paid in full1
- 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.
Winneshiek County
SBA lending by place in Winneshiek County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Decorah, approvals5
- Ossian, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Decorah | 5 | $3,782,700 |
| Ossian | 2 | $979,500 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Winneshiek County
How large is Winneshiek County?
- Land area690 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties17th of 99
- Width, east to west23.9 mi
- Height, north to south28.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land29
- Establishments per square mile0.88
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.
Winneshiek County
Flood risk in Winneshiek County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Winneshiek County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190918
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate71.4 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Winneshiek 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 Winneshiek County (community 190918), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Winneshiek 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. 71.4 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 Winneshiek 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 Winneshiek County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202419,873
- Households8,139
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$79,066
- Median age42.6
Common questions
Winneshiek County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Winneshiek County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 19,723 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 19,873, in 8,139 households, ranking 34th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Winneshiek County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.72 percent since the 2020 census base of 20,069, to 19,723 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 189 births against 235 deaths, with net migration of 42. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Winneshiek County?
$79,066. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $259,200, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $861 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Winneshiek County?
604 establishments, employing 9,065 people with an annual payroll of $418.4 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 Winneshiek County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,441 jobs, 13.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 10,479 jobs at an average annual pay of $51,439, or $989 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Winneshiek County?
7 7(a) approvals totaling $4.8 m since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $720,000, plus 5 504 approvals worth $6.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Winneshiek County?
47 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $18.4 m. Multifamily was 25.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Winneshiek 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 Winneshiek County come from?
The largest single origin is Howard County, with 38 households. Arriving households report an average income of $56,802 against $57,236 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Winneshiek 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 Winneshiek 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.
Winneshiek County
Cities and places in Winneshiek.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Winneshiek County. All 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decorah | city | 7,535 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Calmar | city | 974 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ossian | city | 806 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Spillville | city | 356 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fort Atkinson | city | 346 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ridgeway | city | 315 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Burr Oak | CDP | 225 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Castalia | city | 142 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jackson Junction | city | 26 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby