Stephenson County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Stephenson County, Illinois has a population of 43,768 across 565 square miles, down 3.6 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $2.49 bn in 2024, 1,003 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 21 7(a) approvals worth $12.5 m.
124 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Stephenson County
How many people live in Stephenson County
- Population43,768
- Households19,358
- Average household size2.26
- Median household income$64,043
- Median age45.3
- Median gross rent$798 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$134,900
- Home value to household income2.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over31,205
- Population under 189,296
- Share under 1821.2 percent
- Population 65 and over10,671
- Share 65 and over24.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6423,801
- Civilian labor force21,486
- Unemployment rate4.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.3 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties33rd of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1127th
Stephenson County is the 33rd largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 2.1 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 24.4 percent against 21.2 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Stephenson County
Is Stephenson County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.61 percent
- Census 2020 base population44,700
- Births, 2024350
- Deaths, 2024603
- Natural change, 2024-253
- Net domestic migration, 2024-74
- Net international migration, 202469
- Total net migration, 2024-5
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-726
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2840th
The county has lost 3.61 percent of its population since the 2020 census base.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Stephenson County
Where people moving to Stephenson County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving875
- People arriving, from those returns1,523
- Adjusted gross income arriving$43.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$49,710
- Largest single originStephenson County Non-migrants (17,742 households)
- Largest single destination (17,742 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephenson County Non-migrants | 17,742 | 34,556 | $1.18 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 280 | 488 | $13.4 m |
| Winnebago County | 168 | 315 | $8.1 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 137 | 230 | $7.9 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 127 | 208 | $5.5 m |
| Other flows - West | 79 | 145 | $5.1 m |
| Other flows - South | 74 | 135 | $2.9 m |
| Ogle County | 60 | 111 | $3.9 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Stephenson 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.
Stephenson County
What the Stephenson County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$2.49 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.34 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.2 percent
- GDP change over five years32.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among Illinois counties31st
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1108th
- GDP per resident$56,782
Output grew 6.2 percent in the latest year and 32.2 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.
Stephenson County
Who employs people in Stephenson County
- Covered employment, annual average17,367
- Establishments reporting1,019
- Average annual pay$55,932
- Average weekly wage$1,076
- Sector 31-33, employment3,278
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$67,497
- Sector 62, employment2,550
- Sector 62, average annual pay$57,207
- Sector 44-45, employment1,651
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$33,523
- Sector 23, employment1,606
- Sector 23, average annual pay$100,417
- Sector 56, employment1,136
- Sector 72, employment1,003
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 3,278 | 65 | $67,497 |
| Sector 62 | 2,550 | 67 | $57,207 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,651 | 118 | $33,523 |
| Sector 23 | 1,606 | 109 | $100,417 |
| Sector 56 | 1,136 | 56 | $42,848 |
| Sector 72 | 1,003 | 82 | $20,641 |
| Sector 52 | 697 | 60 | $72,267 |
| Sector 11 | 588 | 43 | $47,337 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 3,278 jobs, 18.9 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.
Stephenson County
What businesses operate in Stephenson County
- Establishments, all industries1,003
- Employment at those establishments15,626
- Annual payroll$899.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.9
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.
Stephenson County
What is being built in Stephenson County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20245
- Declared construction value permitted$1.1 m
- Single family units authorised5
- Multifamily units authorised0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$226,000
- Units authorised per 1,000 households0.3
Multifamily is 0.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Stephenson County
How much SBA lending happens in Stephenson County
- 7(a) approvals recorded21
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$12.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$596,957
- Median 7(a) approval$50,000
- 10th percentile approval$10,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,730,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)155
- Jobs per approval7.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active8
- Distinct industries receiving approvals17
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer19.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter16
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals23.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFitness and Recreational Sports Centers (3)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (10)
- 504 approvals recorded15
- 504 gross approval dollars$10.8 m
- Average 504 approval$718,133
- Median 504 approval$444,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval35.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved49.6
- Most active CDCRockford Local Development Corporation (12)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals58.3 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$23.3 m
The average approval of $596,957 sits well above the median of $50,000, 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 19.0 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.
Stephenson County
Do SBA loans in Stephenson County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled2
- Status: Exempt from disclosure13
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 5 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.
Stephenson County
Which parts of Stephenson County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending4
- FREEPORT, approvals18
- DAVIS, approvals1
- PEARL CITY, approvals1
- LAKEWOOD, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| FREEPORT | 18 | $7,016,100 |
| DAVIS | 1 | $20,000 |
| PEARL CITY | 1 | $500,000 |
| LAKEWOOD | 1 | $5,000,000 |
FREEPORT accounts for 18 approvals against 1 in DAVIS. 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.
Stephenson County
How big is Stephenson County
- Land area565 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties43rd of 102
- Width, east to west27 mi
- Height, north to south21.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land77
- Establishments per square mile1.78
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.
Stephenson County
What hazards affect Stephenson County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 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 Stephenson 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 Stephenson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population43,768
- Households19,358
- Average household size2.26
- Median household income$64,043
- Median age45.3
Common questions
Stephenson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Stephenson County, Illinois?
43,768, in 19,358 households, ranking 33rd of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Stephenson County growing?
The population has fallen 3.61 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 350 births against 603 deaths, with net migration of -5. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Stephenson County?
$64,043. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $134,900, which is 2.1 times income, and median gross rent is $798 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Stephenson County?
1,003 establishments, employing 15,626 people with an annual payroll of $899.8 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 Stephenson County?
Average annual pay is $55,932, or $1,076 a week, across 17,367 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Stephenson County?
21 7(a) approvals totalling $12.5 m since FY2020, across 8 lenders, with a median approval of $50,000, plus 15 504 approvals worth $10.8 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Stephenson County?
5 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.1 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Stephenson 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 Stephenson County come from?
The largest single origin is Stephenson County Non-migrants, with 17,742 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,710 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 Stephenson 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 Stephenson 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.