Marion County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Marion County, Illinois has a population of 37,000 across 572 square miles, down 3.5 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $1.76 bn in 2024, 863 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 17 7(a) approvals worth $10.2 m.
125 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Marion County
How many people live in Marion County
- Population37,000
- Households15,512
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$61,240
- Median age41.5
- Median gross rent$794 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$103,000
- Home value to household income1.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher16.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over25,698
- Population under 188,685
- Share under 1823.5 percent
- Population 65 and over7,473
- Share 65 and over20.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6420,842
- Civilian labor force17,574
- Unemployment rate5.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.1 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties36th of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1284th
Marion County is the 36th largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 1.7 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.5 percent against 20.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Marion County
Is Marion County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.45 percent
- Census 2020 base population37,738
- Births, 2024417
- Deaths, 2024566
- Natural change, 2024-149
- Net domestic migration, 2024-67
- Net international migration, 202414
- Total net migration, 2024-53
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-585
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2814th
The county has lost 3.45 percent of its population since the 2020 census base.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Marion County
Where people moving to Marion County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving728
- People arriving, from those returns1,337
- Adjusted gross income arriving$30.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$41,363
- Largest single originMarion County Non-migrants (14,099 households)
- Largest single destination (14,099 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County Non-migrants | 14,099 | 28,323 | $885.0 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 202 | 368 | $8.6 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 160 | 263 | $6.8 m |
| Clinton County | 143 | 259 | $6.1 m |
| Other flows - South | 93 | 161 | $4.0 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 80 | 148 | $3.5 m |
| Jefferson County | 69 | 145 | $2.3 m |
| Fayette County | 45 | 91 | $1.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Marion County Non-migrants, 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.
Marion County
What the Marion County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$1.76 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.72 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.3 percent
- GDP change over five years32.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among Illinois counties43rd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1389th
- GDP per resident$47,509
Output grew 2.3 percent in the latest year and 32.0 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.
Marion County
Who employs people in Marion County
- Covered employment, annual average12,409
- Establishments reporting796
- Average annual pay$49,266
- Average weekly wage$947
- Sector 31-33, employment2,759
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$58,623
- Sector 62, employment2,628
- Sector 62, average annual pay$47,461
- Sector 44-45, employment1,197
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$35,784
- Sector 72, employment884
- Sector 72, average annual pay$21,236
- Sector 48-49, employment523
- Sector 23, employment414
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 2,759 | 41 | $58,623 |
| Sector 62 | 2,628 | 78 | $47,461 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,197 | 116 | $35,784 |
| Sector 72 | 884 | 74 | $21,236 |
| Sector 48-49 | 523 | 38 | $71,017 |
| Sector 23 | 414 | 74 | $66,954 |
| Sector 81 | 354 | 76 | $39,237 |
| Sector 42 | 300 | 21 | $72,118 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 2,759 jobs, 22.2 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Marion County
What businesses operate in Marion County
- Establishments, all industries863
- Employment at those establishments11,370
- Annual payroll$554.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Marion County
What is being built in Marion County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202425
- Declared construction value permitted$3.0 m
- Single family units authorised5
- Multifamily units authorised20
- Multifamily share of units80.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$118,940
- Units authorised per 1,000 households1.6
Multifamily is 80.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Marion County
How much SBA lending happens in Marion County
- 7(a) approvals recorded17
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$10.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$599,688
- Median 7(a) approval$325,000
- 10th percentile approval$55,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,363,500
- Largest single approval$3,475,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)300
- Jobs per approval17.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals14
- Median 7(a) term180 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer17.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter8
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals11.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countMotorcycle, ATV, and All Other Motor Vehicle Dealers (2)
- Most active lenderPeoples National Bank National Association (5)
- 504 approvals recorded6
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.6 m
- Average 504 approval$1,101,500
- Median 504 approval$604,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval16.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.7
- Most active CDCSmall Business Growth Corporation (3)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals73.9 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$16.8 m
The average approval of $599,688 sits well above the median of $325,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 17.6 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.
Marion County
Do SBA loans in Marion County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded7
- Paid in full7
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure8
- Status: Paid in full7
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 7 resolved loans, too few to publish a rate. A rate computed on a handful of loans is noise, so none is shown.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Marion County
Which parts of Marion County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending5
- SALEM, approvals9
- CENTRALIA, approvals5
- Kell, approvals1
- Kinmundy, approvals1
- Patoka, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| SALEM | 9 | $8,238,700 |
| CENTRALIA | 5 | $1,311,000 |
| Kell | 1 | $90,000 |
| Kinmundy | 1 | $500,000 |
| Patoka | 1 | $55,000 |
SALEM accounts for 9 approvals against 5 in CENTRALIA. 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.
Marion County
How big is Marion County
- Land area572 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties40th of 102
- Width, east to west24.3 mi
- Height, north to south24.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land65
- Establishments per square mile1.51
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.
Marion County
What hazards affect Marion County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate50.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Marion 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 Marion County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population37,000
- Households15,512
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$61,240
- Median age41.5
Common questions
Marion County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Marion County, Illinois?
37,000, in 15,512 households, ranking 36th of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Marion County growing?
The population has fallen 3.45 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 417 births against 566 deaths, with net migration of -53. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Marion County?
$61,240. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $103,000, which is 1.7 times income, and median gross rent is $794 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Marion County?
863 establishments, employing 11,370 people with an annual payroll of $554.7 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Marion County?
Average annual pay is $49,266, or $947 a week, across 12,409 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Marion County?
17 7(a) approvals totalling $10.2 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $325,000, plus 6 504 approvals worth $6.6 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Marion County?
25 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $3.0 m. Multifamily was 80.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Marion County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Marion County come from?
The largest single origin is Marion County Non-migrants, with 14,099 households. Arriving households report an average income of $41,363 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Marion 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 Marion County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.