Woodbury County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Woodbury County, Iowa had an estimated 107,257 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 105,976, across 873 square miles. County output reached $7.03 bn in 2024, 2,622 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 47 7(a) approvals worth $24.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Woodbury County
How many people live in Woodbury County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024106,247
- Households40,699
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$73,658
- Median age36.1
- Median gross rent$981 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$183,200
- Home value to household income2.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over68,108
- Population under 1827,391
- Share under 1825.8 percent
- Population 65 and over16,864
- Share 65 and over15.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6461,992
- Civilian labor force55,024
- Unemployment rate4.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over69.8 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties7th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included588th of 3,222
Woodbury County is the 7th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.5 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.8 percent against 15.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Woodbury County
Is Woodbury County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024107,257
- Census 2020 base population105,976
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.21 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024713
- Births, 20241,426
- Deaths, 2024930
- Natural change, 2024496
- Net domestic migration, 2024-771
- Net international migration, 2024982
- Total net migration, 2024211
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-2,598
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1417th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.21 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.
Woodbury County
Where are people moving to Woodbury County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,089
- People arriving, from those returns3,573
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,446
- Net household movement-357
- Adjusted gross income arriving$105.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-55.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$50,697
- Average income of a leaving household$65,799
- Largest single originDakota County (273 households)
- Largest single destinationDakota County (256 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota County | 273 | 552 | $12.5 m |
| Plymouth County | 188 | 335 | $12.4 m |
| Union County | 137 | 217 | $9.7 m |
| Monona County | 54 | 97 | $2.8 m |
| Douglas County | 54 | 81 | $2.9 m |
| Minnehaha County | 48 | 76 | $1.9 m |
| Buena Vista County | 39 | 60 | $2.4 m |
| Polk County | 39 | 61 | $1.6 m |
Households arriving report $15,102 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Dakota 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.
Woodbury County
What is the Woodbury County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$7.03 bn
- County GDP, 2023$6.87 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.3 percent
- GDP change over five years28.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes9th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes585th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$66,147
Output grew 2.3 percent in the latest year and 28.3 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.
Woodbury County
Employment by industry in Woodbury County
- Covered employment, annual average51,281
- Establishments reporting3,308
- Average annual pay$54,684
- Average weekly wage$1,052
- Health care and social assistance, employment8,153
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$57,557
- Manufacturing, employment7,392
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$70,920
- Retail trade, employment6,831
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,969
- Accommodation and food services, employment5,304
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,321
- Construction, employment2,980
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment2,702
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 8,153 | 487 | $57,557 |
| Manufacturing | 7,392 | 102 | $70,920 |
| Retail trade | 6,831 | 403 | $33,969 |
| Accommodation and food services | 5,304 | 265 | $21,321 |
| Construction | 2,980 | 290 | $71,271 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 2,702 | 230 | $39,110 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,407 | 230 | $82,221 |
| Other services, except public administration | 1,388 | 217 | $43,008 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 8,153 jobs, 15.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Woodbury County
How many businesses are in Woodbury County?
- Establishments, all industries2,622
- Employment at those establishments46,810
- Annual payroll$2.32 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.7
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.
Woodbury County
Building permits in Woodbury County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024172
- Declared construction value permitted$32.9 m
- Single family units authorized76
- Multifamily units authorized96
- Multifamily share of units55.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$191,147
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.2
Multifamily is 55.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Woodbury County
SBA loans in Woodbury County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded47
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$24.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$519,032
- Median 7(a) approval$215,600
- 10th percentile approval$21,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,652,680
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)465
- Jobs per approval9.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active27
- Distinct industries receiving approvals34
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer8.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter34
- Franchise loans9
- Franchise share of approvals19.1 percent
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (8)
- 504 approvals recorded50
- 504 gross approval dollars$41.3 m
- Average 504 approval$825,620
- Median 504 approval$498,500
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval12.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved15.0
- Most active CDCSiouxland Economic Development Corporation (40)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$65.7 m
The average approval of $519,032 sits well above the median of $215,600, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 8.5 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.
Woodbury County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Woodbury County
Do SBA loans in Woodbury County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded13
- Paid in full11
- Charged off2
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Paid in full11
- Status: Exempt from disclosure28
- Status: Cancelled4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Only 13 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.
Woodbury County
SBA lending by place in Woodbury County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Sioux City, approvals36
- Sergeant Bluff, approvals3
- Lawton, approvals3
- Anthon, approvals2
- Moville, approvals2
- Sloan, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux City | 36 | $21,897,200 |
| Sergeant Bluff | 3 | $1,167,400 |
| Lawton | 3 | $1,112,800 |
| Anthon | 2 | $133,000 |
| Moville | 2 | $17,000 |
| Sloan | 1 | $67,100 |
Sioux City accounts for 36 approvals against 3 in Sergeant Bluff. 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.
Woodbury County
How large is Woodbury County?
- Land area873 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties3rd of 99
- Width, east to west41.5 mi
- Height, north to south24.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land122
- Establishments per square mile3.00
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.
Woodbury County
Flood risk in Woodbury County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Woodbury County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190536
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book17
- Of those, participating in the NFIP16
- NFIP participation rate94.1 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Woodbury 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 Woodbury County (community 190536), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Woodbury 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. 94.1 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 Woodbury 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 Woodbury County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024106,247
- Households40,699
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$73,658
- Median age36.1
Common questions
Woodbury County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Woodbury County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 107,257 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 106,247, in 40,699 households, ranking 7th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Woodbury County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.21 percent since the 2020 census base of 105,976, to 107,257 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,426 births against 930 deaths, with net migration of 211. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Woodbury County?
$73,658. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $183,200, which is 2.5 times income, and median gross rent is $981 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Woodbury County?
2,622 establishments, employing 46,810 people with an annual payroll of $2.32 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 Woodbury County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 8,153 jobs, 15.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 51,281 jobs at an average annual pay of $54,684, or $1,052 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Woodbury County?
47 7(a) approvals totaling $24.4 m since FY2020, across 27 lenders, with a median approval of $215,600, plus 50 504 approvals worth $41.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Woodbury County?
172 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $32.9 m. Multifamily was 55.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Woodbury 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 Woodbury County come from?
The largest single origin is Dakota County, with 273 households. Arriving households report an average income of $50,697 against $65,799 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Woodbury 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 Woodbury 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.
Woodbury County
Cities and places in Woodbury.
16 Census places lie wholly or partly in Woodbury County. All 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux City | city | 86,101 | 36 | Wholly in this county |
| Sergeant Bluff | city | 5,171 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Moville | city | 1,670 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Sloan | city | 1,018 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Lawton | city | 790 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Correctionville | city | 761 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Anthon | city | 514 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Salix | city | 402 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hornick | city | 340 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bronson | city | 312 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pierson | city | 302 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Danbury | city | 283 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cushing | city | 243 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Smithland | city | 137 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oto | city | 68 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Climbing Hill | CDP | 45 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |