HomeIllinoisRock Island County
Rock Island County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Rock Island County, Illinois has a population of 142,757 across 428 square miles, down 1.3 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $12.61 bn in 2024, 2,992 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 59 7(a) approvals worth $38.3 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Rock Island County
How many people live in Rock Island County
- Population142,757
- Households61,733
- Average household size2.31
- Median household income$67,159
- Median age40.3
- Median gross rent$889 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$150,400
- Home value to household income2.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over98,032
- Population under 1832,091
- Share under 1822.5 percent
- Population 65 and over29,061
- Share 65 and over20.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6481,605
- Civilian labor force69,883
- Unemployment rate5.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.1 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties14th of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents474th
Rock Island County is the 14th largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 2.2 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.5 percent against 20.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Rock Island County
Is Rock Island County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.34 percent
- Census 2020 base population144,665
- Births, 20241,611
- Deaths, 20241,701
- Natural change, 2024-90
- Net domestic migration, 2024-398
- Net international migration, 20241,277
- Total net migration, 2024879
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-3,833
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2306th
The county has lost 1.34 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone 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.
Rock Island County
Where people moving to Rock Island County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,925
- People arriving, from those returns5,013
- Adjusted gross income arriving$161.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$55,197
- Largest single originRock Island County Non-migrants (55,777 households)
- Largest single destination (55,777 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Island County Non-migrants | 55,777 | 108,203 | $3.93 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 987 | 1,744 | $61.5 m |
| Scott County | 813 | 1,419 | $41.4 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 364 | 648 | $19.0 m |
| Other flows - South | 363 | 672 | $26.6 m |
| Henry County | 309 | 512 | $16.2 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 241 | 368 | $10.8 m |
| Other flows - West | 202 | 334 | $11.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Rock Island 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.
Rock Island County
What the Rock Island County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$12.61 bn
- County GDP, 2023$12.30 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.5 percent
- GDP change over five years21.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among Illinois counties14th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents371st
- GDP per resident$88,312
Output grew 2.5 percent in the latest year and 21.4 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.
Rock Island County
Who employs people in Rock Island County
- Covered employment, annual average70,119
- Establishments reporting2,880
- Average annual pay$72,332
- Average weekly wage$1,391
- Sector 31-33, employment9,870
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$69,190
- Sector 62, employment8,626
- Sector 62, average annual pay$61,862
- Sector 44-45, employment6,922
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$37,548
- Sector 42, employment6,485
- Sector 42, average annual pay$181,496
- Sector 72, employment5,285
- Sector 56, employment4,191
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 9,870 | 144 | $69,190 |
| Sector 62 | 8,626 | 363 | $61,862 |
| Sector 44-45 | 6,922 | 397 | $37,548 |
| Sector 42 | 6,485 | 109 | $181,496 |
| Sector 72 | 5,285 | 344 | $23,161 |
| Sector 56 | 4,191 | 140 | $63,944 |
| Sector 23 | 2,762 | 240 | $76,472 |
| Sector 54 | 2,602 | 224 | $90,312 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 9,870 jobs, 14.1 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job exceeds median household income, which usually means single earner households and a wage base that can carry rent.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Rock Island County
What businesses operate in Rock Island County
- Establishments, all industries2,992
- Employment at those establishments64,307
- Annual payroll$4.30 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Rock Island County
What is being built in Rock Island County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024140
- Declared construction value permitted$28.3 m
- Single family units authorised51
- Multifamily units authorised89
- Multifamily share of units63.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$202,315
- Units authorised per 1,000 households2.3
Multifamily is 63.6 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Rock Island County
How much SBA lending happens in Rock Island County
- 7(a) approvals recorded59
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$38.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$649,763
- Median 7(a) approval$300,000
- 10th percentile approval$15,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,100,000
- Largest single approval$2,528,900
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)519
- Jobs per approval8.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active24
- Distinct industries receiving approvals36
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer13.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms8
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter46
- Franchise loans10
- Franchise share of approvals16.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (5)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (9)
- 504 approvals recorded34
- 504 gross approval dollars$22.7 m
- Average 504 approval$668,118
- Median 504 approval$400,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval21.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved31.7
- Most active CDCSmall Business Growth Corporation (26)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals63.4 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$61.1 m
The average approval of $649,763 sits well above the median of $300,000, 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 13.6 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.
Rock Island County
Do SBA loans in Rock Island County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded12
- Paid in full11
- Charged off1
- Charge off rate on resolved loans8.3 percent
- Status: Paid in full11
- Status: Cancelled13
- Status: Exempt from disclosure33
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Of the 12 loans that have reached a final outcome, 8.3 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Rock Island County
Which parts of Rock Island County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending8
- MOLINE, approvals24
- ROCK ISLAND, approvals13
- East Moline, approvals11
- MILAN, approvals4
- Reynolds, approvals3
- Hampton, approvals2
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| MOLINE | 24 | $12,822,300 |
| ROCK ISLAND | 13 | $9,973,500 |
| East Moline | 11 | $8,471,100 |
| MILAN | 4 | $5,211,100 |
| Reynolds | 3 | $900,000 |
| Hampton | 2 | $357,000 |
| Taylor Ridge | 1 | $251,000 |
| SILVIS | 1 | $350,000 |
MOLINE accounts for 24 approvals against 13 in ROCK ISLAND. 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.
Rock Island County
How big is Rock Island County
- Land area428 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties67th of 102
- Width, east to west47.3 mi
- Height, north to south31.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land334
- Establishments per square mile6.99
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.
Rock Island County
What hazards affect Rock Island County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book15
- Of those, participating in the NFIP15
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 6
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
The EPA places the county in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 6, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
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 Rock Island 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 Rock Island County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population142,757
- Households61,733
- Average household size2.31
- Median household income$67,159
- Median age40.3
Common questions
Rock Island County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Rock Island County, Illinois?
142,757, in 61,733 households, ranking 14th of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Rock Island County growing?
The population has fallen 1.34 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 1,611 births against 1,701 deaths, with net migration of 879. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Rock Island County?
$67,159. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $150,400, which is 2.2 times income, and median gross rent is $889 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Rock Island County?
2,992 establishments, employing 64,307 people with an annual payroll of $4.30 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Rock Island County?
Average annual pay is $72,332, or $1,391 a week, across 70,119 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Rock Island County?
59 7(a) approvals totalling $38.3 m since FY2020, across 24 lenders, with a median approval of $300,000, plus 34 504 approvals worth $22.7 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Rock Island County get paid back?
Of the 12 loans that have reached a final outcome, 11 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge off rate of 8.3 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Rock Island County?
140 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $28.3 m. Multifamily was 63.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Rock Island 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 Rock Island County come from?
The largest single origin is Rock Island County Non-migrants, with 55,777 households. Arriving households report an average income of $55,197 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 Rock Island 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 Rock Island 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.