Winnebago County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Winnebago County, Illinois has a population of 283,292 across 513 square miles, down 0.6 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $18.80 bn in 2024, 6,286 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 229 7(a) approvals worth $137.1 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Winnebago County
How many people live in Winnebago County
- Population283,292
- Households116,014
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$65,837
- Median age39.6
- Median gross rent$1,021 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$164,500
- Home value to household income2.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher25.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over193,227
- Population under 1866,531
- Share under 1823.5 percent
- Population 65 and over52,518
- Share 65 and over18.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64164,243
- Civilian labor force138,308
- Unemployment rate7.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.8 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties7th of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents255th
Winnebago County is the 7th largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 2.5 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 18.5 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Winnebago County
Is Winnebago County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.55 percent
- Census 2020 base population285,371
- Births, 20243,204
- Deaths, 20243,236
- Natural change, 2024-32
- Net domestic migration, 2024-88
- Net international migration, 20241,697
- Total net migration, 20241,609
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-4,782
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2034th
The county has lost 0.55 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.
Winnebago County
Where people moving to Winnebago County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving5,417
- People arriving, from those returns9,682
- Adjusted gross income arriving$273.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$50,453
- Largest single originWinnebago County Non-migrants (110,651 households)
- Largest single destination (110,651 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago County Non-migrants | 110,651 | 217,915 | $7.82 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,621 | 2,830 | $84.3 m |
| Cook County | 679 | 1,322 | $33.0 m |
| Other flows - South | 641 | 1,092 | $32.4 m |
| Boone County | 627 | 1,126 | $33.0 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 579 | 1,007 | $29.7 m |
| Rock County | 413 | 764 | $22.8 m |
| Other flows - West | 279 | 533 | $15.0 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Winnebago 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.
Winnebago County
What the Winnebago County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$18.80 bn
- County GDP, 2023$18.05 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.1 percent
- GDP change over five years35.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among Illinois counties6th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents273rd
- GDP per resident$66,355
Output grew 4.1 percent in the latest year and 35.5 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.
Winnebago County
Who employs people in Winnebago County
- Covered employment, annual average126,415
- Establishments reporting5,870
- Average annual pay$59,400
- Average weekly wage$1,142
- Sector 62, employment23,841
- Sector 62, average annual pay$71,006
- Sector 31-33, employment22,458
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$77,653
- Sector 44-45, employment14,200
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$36,421
- Sector 72, employment10,718
- Sector 72, average annual pay$23,045
- Sector 56, employment8,454
- Sector 48-49, employment7,298
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 23,841 | 544 | $71,006 |
| Sector 31-33 | 22,458 | 547 | $77,653 |
| Sector 44-45 | 14,200 | 808 | $36,421 |
| Sector 72 | 10,718 | 584 | $23,045 |
| Sector 56 | 8,454 | 312 | $43,134 |
| Sector 48-49 | 7,298 | 270 | $47,452 |
| Sector 42 | 4,613 | 296 | $78,459 |
| Sector 23 | 4,548 | 537 | $85,458 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 23,841 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.
Winnebago County
What businesses operate in Winnebago County
- Establishments, all industries6,286
- Employment at those establishments117,137
- Annual payroll$6.48 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.2
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.
Winnebago County
What is being built in Winnebago County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024284
- Declared construction value permitted$75.1 m
- Single family units authorised248
- Multifamily units authorised36
- Multifamily share of units12.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$264,558
- Units authorised per 1,000 households2.4
Multifamily is 12.7 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Winnebago County
How much SBA lending happens in Winnebago County
- 7(a) approvals recorded229
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$137.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$598,801
- Median 7(a) approval$252,000
- 10th percentile approval$45,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,340,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)3,560
- Jobs per approval15.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active39
- Distinct industries receiving approvals91
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer14.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms33
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter176
- Franchise loans40
- Franchise share of approvals17.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (12)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (49)
- 504 approvals recorded160
- 504 gross approval dollars$107.0 m
- Average 504 approval$668,963
- Median 504 approval$364,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval12.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved19.1
- Most active CDCRockford Local Development Corporation (138)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals58.9 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$244.2 m
The average approval of $598,801 sits well above the median of $252,000, 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 14.4 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.
Winnebago County
Do SBA loans in Winnebago County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded46
- Paid in full45
- Charged off1
- Charge off rate on resolved loans2.2 percent
- Status: Cancelled35
- Status: Exempt from disclosure133
- Status: Paid in full45
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed15
- Status: Charged off1
Of the 46 loans that have reached a final outcome, 2.2 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.
Winnebago County
Which parts of Winnebago County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending14
- ROCKFORD, approvals142
- Loves Park, approvals37
- Machesney Park, approvals19
- Roscoe, approvals11
- South Beloit, approvals6
- Cherry Valley, approvals3
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| ROCKFORD | 142 | $91,360,500 |
| Loves Park | 37 | $20,578,500 |
| Machesney Park | 19 | $6,257,000 |
| Roscoe | 11 | $4,012,500 |
| South Beloit | 6 | $4,127,300 |
| Cherry Valley | 3 | $1,536,500 |
| Poplar Grove | 2 | $377,200 |
| Belvidere | 2 | $692,600 |
ROCKFORD accounts for 142 approvals against 37 in Loves Park. 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.
Winnebago County
How big is Winnebago County
- Land area513 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties51st of 102
- Width, east to west23.6 mi
- Height, north to south24.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land552
- Establishments per square mile12.25
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.
Winnebago County
What hazards affect Winnebago County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book11
- Of those, participating in the NFIP11
- 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 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
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 7, 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 Winnebago 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 Winnebago County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population283,292
- Households116,014
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$65,837
- Median age39.6
Common questions
Winnebago County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Winnebago County, Illinois?
283,292, in 116,014 households, ranking 7th of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Winnebago County growing?
The population has fallen 0.55 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 3,204 births against 3,236 deaths, with net migration of 1,609. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Winnebago County?
$65,837. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $164,500, which is 2.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,021 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Winnebago County?
6,286 establishments, employing 117,137 people with an annual payroll of $6.48 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 Winnebago County?
Average annual pay is $59,400, or $1,142 a week, across 126,415 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Winnebago County?
229 7(a) approvals totalling $137.1 m since FY2020, across 39 lenders, with a median approval of $252,000, plus 160 504 approvals worth $107.0 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Winnebago County get paid back?
Of the 46 loans that have reached a final outcome, 45 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge off rate of 2.2 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Winnebago County?
284 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $75.1 m. Multifamily was 12.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Winnebago 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 Winnebago County come from?
The largest single origin is Winnebago County Non-migrants, with 110,651 households. Arriving households report an average income of $50,453 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 Winnebago 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 Winnebago 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.