Winona County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
Winona County, Minnesota had an estimated 49,973 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 49,692, across 626 square miles. County output reached $2.96 bn in 2024, 1,145 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 33 7(a) approvals worth $18.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Winona County
How many people live in Winona County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202449,779
- Households20,253
- Average household size2.46
- Median household income$70,744
- Median age36.4
- Median gross rent$907 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$235,400
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher32.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over31,414
- Population under 188,769
- Share under 1817.6 percent
- Population 65 and over9,325
- Share 65 and over18.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6431,685
- Civilian labor force28,603
- Unemployment rate2.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over69.7 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties19th of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1017th of 3,222
Winona County is the 19th largest of 87 Minnesota 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 18.7 percent against 17.6 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.
Winona County
Is Winona County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202449,973
- Census 2020 base population49,692
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.57 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024127
- Births, 2024282
- Deaths, 2024491
- Natural change, 2024-209
- Net domestic migration, 2024177
- Net international migration, 2024160
- Total net migration, 2024337
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024111
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1623rd of 3,144
The county has grown 0.57 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Winona County
Where are people moving to Winona County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,089
- People arriving, from those returns1,682
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,199
- Net household movement-110
- Adjusted gross income arriving$57.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-9.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$52,803
- Average income of a leaving household$55,570
- Largest single originOlmsted County (137 households)
- Largest single destinationOlmsted County (170 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olmsted County | 137 | 220 | $7.9 m |
| La Crosse County | 89 | 125 | $4.4 m |
| Houston County | 55 | 104 | $4.2 m |
| Hennepin County | 46 | 83 | $2.8 m |
| Fillmore County | 41 | 63 | $1.7 m |
| Wabasha County | 39 | 54 | $1.6 m |
| Buffalo County | 37 | 62 | $1.5 m |
| Dakota County | 27 | 46 | $1.8 m |
Households arriving report $2,767 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Olmsted 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.
Winona County
What is the Winona County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.96 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.80 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.0 percent
- GDP change over five years20.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes20th of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes990th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$59,533
Output grew 6.0 percent in the latest year and 20.6 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.
Winona County
Employment by industry in Winona County
- Covered employment, annual average24,022
- Establishments reporting1,256
- Average annual pay$52,828
- Average weekly wage$1,016
- Manufacturing, employment5,393
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$69,582
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,703
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$49,513
- Retail trade, employment2,583
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,195
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,522
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$22,305
- Transportation and warehousing, employment1,237
- Educational services, employment1,156
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5,393 | 100 | $69,582 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,703 | 144 | $49,513 |
| Retail trade | 2,583 | 136 | $33,195 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,522 | 121 | $22,305 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,237 | 52 | $61,855 |
| Educational services | 1,156 | 12 | $41,708 |
| Construction | 644 | 117 | $60,917 |
| Other services, except public administration | 552 | 113 | $32,186 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,393 jobs, 22.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Winona County
How many businesses are in Winona County?
- Establishments, all industries1,145
- Employment at those establishments23,937
- Annual payroll$1.15 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.0
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.
Winona County
Building permits in Winona County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202441
- Declared construction value permitted$11.6 m
- Single family units authorized32
- Multifamily units authorized9
- Multifamily share of units22.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$283,737
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.0
Single-family homes are 78.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Winona County
SBA loans in Winona County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded33
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$18.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$559,624
- Median 7(a) approval$258,000
- 10th percentile approval$35,680
- 90th percentile approval$1,202,360
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)480
- Jobs per approval14.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active17
- Distinct industries receiving approvals24
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer6.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter28
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals9.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countElectrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors (6)
- Most active lenderMerchants Bank, National Association (6)
- 504 approvals recorded44
- 504 gross approval dollars$25.5 m
- Average 504 approval$578,568
- Median 504 approval$286,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval10.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved17.8
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$43.9 m
The average approval of $559,624 sits well above the median of $258,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 6.1 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.
Winona County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Winona County
Do SBA loans in Winona County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded7
- Paid in full7
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure19
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
Only 7 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.
Winona County
SBA lending by place in Winona County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Winona, approvals24
- St. Charles, approvals4
- Minnesota City, approvals2
- La Crescent, approvals1
- Lewiston, approvals1
- Stockton, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Winona | 24 | $9,436,700 |
| St. Charles | 4 | $5,520,000 |
| Minnesota City | 2 | $732,500 |
| La Crescent | 1 | $2,459,000 |
| Lewiston | 1 | $264,400 |
| Stockton | 1 | $55,000 |
Winona accounts for 24 approvals against 4 in St. Charles. 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.
Winona County
How large is Winona County?
- Land area626 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties49th of 87
- Width, east to west39.6 mi
- Height, north to south23.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land80
- Establishments per square mile1.83
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.
Winona County
Flood risk in Winona County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Winona County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 270525
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book12
- Of those, participating in the NFIP12
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Winona 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 Winona County (community 270525), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Winona 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. 100.0 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 Winona 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 Winona County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202449,779
- Households20,253
- Average household size2.46
- Median household income$70,744
- Median age36.4
Common questions
Winona County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Winona County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 49,973 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 49,779, in 20,253 households, ranking 19th of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Winona County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.57 percent since the 2020 census base of 49,692, to 49,973 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 282 births against 491 deaths, with net migration of 337. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Winona County?
$70,744. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $235,400, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $907 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Winona County?
1,145 establishments, employing 23,937 people with an annual payroll of $1.15 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 Winona County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 5,393 jobs, 22.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 24,022 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,828, or $1,016 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Winona County?
33 7(a) approvals totaling $18.5 m since FY2020, across 17 lenders, with a median approval of $258,000, plus 44 504 approvals worth $25.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Winona County?
41 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $11.6 m. Multifamily was 22.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Winona 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 Winona County come from?
The largest single origin is Olmsted County, with 137 households. Arriving households report an average income of $52,803 against $55,570 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Winona 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 Winona 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.
Winona County
Cities and places in Winona.
16 Census places lie wholly or partly in Winona 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winona | city | 26,009 | 24 | Wholly in this county |
| La Crescent | city | 5,251 | 1 | 5.3 percent here, 94.7 percent Houston County |
| Goodview | city | 4,103 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| St. Charles | city | 4,037 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Lewiston | city | 1,613 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Stockton | city | 811 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Rollingstone | city | 620 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Altura | city | 388 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dakota | city | 304 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dresbach | CDP | 286 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Utica | city | 216 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Homer | CDP | 179 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pickwick | CDP | 171 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Minnesota City | city | 135 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Minneiska | city | 111 | None recorded | 24.9 percent here, 75.1 percent Wabasha County |
| Elba | city | 102 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |