Wright County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Wright County, Iowa had an estimated 12,729 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 12,948, across 580 square miles. County output reached $1.25 bn in 2024, 358 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 3 7(a) approvals worth $696,000 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Wright County
How many people live in Wright County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202412,791
- Households5,353
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$67,190
- Median age39.4
- Median gross rent$790 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$119,600
- Home value to household income1.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over8,568
- Population under 183,329
- Share under 1826.0 percent
- Population 65 and over2,827
- Share 65 and over22.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 646,635
- Civilian labor force5,909
- Unemployment rate1.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.4 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties59th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2297th of 3,222
Wright County is the 59th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 1.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 26.0 percent against 22.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wright County
Is Wright County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202412,729
- Census 2020 base population12,948
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.69 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-15
- Births, 2024180
- Deaths, 2024151
- Natural change, 202429
- Net domestic migration, 2024-178
- Net international migration, 2024134
- Total net migration, 2024-44
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-538
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2416th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.69 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. More people left than moved in during 2024 and births over deaths did not make up the difference, so the population fell.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Wright County
Where are people moving to Wright County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving240
- People arriving, from those returns419
- Tax returns filed by households leaving323
- Net household movement-83
- Adjusted gross income arriving$11.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-6.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$46,275
- Average income of a leaving household$55,554
- Largest single originWebster County (21 households)
- Largest single destinationPolk County (29 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webster County | 21 | 28 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $9,279 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Webster 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.
Wright County
What is the Wright County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.25 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.04 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 202419.5 percent
- GDP change over five years88.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Iowa areas BEA publishes38th of 99
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1672nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$97,461
Output grew 19.5 percent in the latest year and 88.5 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.
Wright County
Employment by industry in Wright County
- Covered employment, annual average6,237
- Establishments reporting468
- Average annual pay$58,576
- Average weekly wage$1,126
- Manufacturing, employment1,490
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$68,539
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment936
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, average annual pay$58,162
- Retail trade, employment440
- Retail trade, average annual pay$25,315
- Wholesale trade, employment394
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$87,187
- Accommodation and food services, employment236
- Construction, employment188
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,490 | 19 | $68,539 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 936 | 62 | $58,162 |
| Retail trade | 440 | 42 | $25,315 |
| Wholesale trade | 394 | 37 | $87,187 |
| Accommodation and food services | 236 | 30 | $15,618 |
| Construction | 188 | 35 | $58,145 |
| Finance and insurance | 141 | 31 | $76,094 |
| Other services, except public administration | 82 | 26 | $43,207 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,490 jobs, 23.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Wright County
How many businesses are in Wright County?
- Establishments, all industries358
- Employment at those establishments4,315
- Annual payroll$243.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.0
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.
Wright County
Building permits in Wright County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202418
- Declared construction value permitted$2.9 m
- Single family units authorized4
- Multifamily units authorized14
- Multifamily share of units77.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$158,889
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.4
Multifamily is 77.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wright County
SBA loans in Wright County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded3
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$696,000
- Average 7(a) approval$232,000
- Median 7(a) approval$201,000
- Largest single approval$360,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)17
- Jobs per approval5.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals3
- Median 7(a) term126 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer33.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter1
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$679,000
- Average 504 approval$339,500
- Median 504 approval$339,500
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval3.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.3
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$1.4 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.
Wright County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Wright County
Do SBA loans in Wright County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure2
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 0 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.
Wright County
SBA lending by place in Wright County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Eagle Grove, approvals1
- Mason City, approvals1
- Clarion, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Eagle Grove | 1 | $360,000 |
| Mason City | 1 | $201,000 |
| Clarion | 1 | $135,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wright County
How large is Wright County?
- Land area580 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties30th of 99
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south24.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land22
- Establishments per square mile0.62
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.
Wright County
Flood risk in Wright County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Wright County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 190917
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate66.7 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Wright 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 Wright County (community 190917), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Wright 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. 66.7 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 Wright 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 Wright County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202412,791
- Households5,353
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$67,190
- Median age39.4
Common questions
Wright County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wright County, Iowa?
The Census Bureau estimates 12,729 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 12,791, in 5,353 households, ranking 59th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wright County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.69 percent since the 2020 census base of 12,948, to 12,729 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 180 births against 151 deaths, with net migration of -44. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wright County?
$67,190. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $119,600, which is 1.8 times income, and median gross rent is $790 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Wright County?
358 establishments, employing 4,315 people with an annual payroll of $243.2 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 Wright County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,490 jobs, 23.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 6,237 jobs at an average annual pay of $58,576, or $1,126 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wright County?
3 7(a) approvals totaling $696,000 since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $201,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $679,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Wright County?
18 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $2.9 m. Multifamily was 77.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wright 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 Wright County come from?
The largest single origin is Webster County, with 21 households. Arriving households report an average income of $46,275 against $55,554 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Wright 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 Wright 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.
Wright County
Cities and places in Wright.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Wright County. All 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Grove | city | 3,593 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Clarion | city | 2,770 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Belmond | city | 2,694 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Goldfield | city | 613 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dows | city | 562 | None recorded | 63.2 percent here, 36.8 percent Franklin County |
| Rowan | city | 186 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Woolstock | city | 181 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Galt | city | 34 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 3 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Wright County, the largest being Mason City (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby