Benton County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Benton County, Iowa has a population of 25,724 across 716 square miles, up 0.8 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $1.14 bn in 2024, 535 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 17 7(a) approvals worth $5.3 m.
121 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Benton County
How many people live in Benton County
- Population25,724
- Households10,202
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$86,962
- Median age43.1
- Median gross rent$826 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$208,200
- Home value to household income2.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income11.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher25.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over18,015
- Population under 185,881
- Share under 1822.9 percent
- Population 65 and over5,093
- Share 65 and over19.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6414,750
- Civilian labor force13,421
- Unemployment rate2.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.6 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties25th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1627th
Benton County is the 25th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.4 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.9 percent against 19.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Benton County
Is Benton County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.84 percent
- Census 2020 base population25,584
- Births, 2024240
- Deaths, 2024267
- Natural change, 2024-27
- Net domestic migration, 202439
- Net international migration, 202419
- Total net migration, 202458
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024261
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1535th
The county has grown 0.84 percent 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.
Benton County
Where people moving to Benton County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving652
- People arriving, from those returns1,173
- Adjusted gross income arriving$35.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$55,107
- Largest single originBenton County Non-migrants (9,718 households)
- Largest single destination (9,718 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County Non-migrants | 9,718 | 20,926 | $802.8 m |
| Linn County | 305 | 554 | $17.3 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 112 | 215 | $6.1 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 108 | 195 | $5.9 m |
| Other flows - South | 45 | 79 | $2.4 m |
| Iowa County | 37 | 48 | $1.6 m |
| Other flows - West | 34 | 71 | $2.2 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 33 | 65 | $1.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Benton 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.
Benton County
What the Benton County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$1.14 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.13 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.0 percent
- GDP change over five years26.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among Iowa counties45th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1742nd
- GDP per resident$44,205
Output grew 1.0 percent in the latest year and 26.3 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.
Benton County
Who employs people in Benton County
- Covered employment, annual average6,069
- Establishments reporting720
- Average annual pay$54,216
- Average weekly wage$1,043
- Sector 44-45, employment767
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$31,321
- Sector 31-33, employment753
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$56,950
- Sector 23, employment420
- Sector 23, average annual pay$67,235
- Sector 42, employment366
- Sector 42, average annual pay$68,167
- Sector 72, employment303
- Sector 52, employment197
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 44-45 | 767 | 78 | $31,321 |
| Sector 31-33 | 753 | 33 | $56,950 |
| Sector 23 | 420 | 76 | $67,235 |
| Sector 42 | 366 | 56 | $68,167 |
| Sector 72 | 303 | 34 | $15,112 |
| Sector 52 | 197 | 40 | $73,319 |
| Sector 71 | 121 | 6 | $10,186 |
| Sector 81 | 115 | 45 | $38,185 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 767 jobs, 12.6 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.
Benton County
What businesses operate in Benton County
- Establishments, all industries535
- Employment at those establishments4,296
- Annual payroll$202.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.8
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.
Benton County
What is being built in Benton County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202443
- Declared construction value permitted$13.8 m
- Single family units authorised33
- Multifamily units authorised10
- Multifamily share of units23.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$319,990
- Units authorised per 1,000 households4.2
Multifamily is 23.3 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Benton County
How much SBA lending happens in Benton County
- 7(a) approvals recorded17
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$5.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$314,618
- Median 7(a) approval$115,000
- 10th percentile approval$15,000
- 90th percentile approval$725,000
- Largest single approval$1,957,300
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)68
- Jobs per approval4.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active10
- Distinct industries receiving approvals15
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer23.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter13
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals5.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countOffices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) (2)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (5)
- 504 approvals recorded9
- 504 gross approval dollars$9.7 m
- Average 504 approval$1,080,444
- Median 504 approval$608,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval34.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved31.7
- Most active CDCBlack Hawk Economic Development, Inc. (8)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals65.4 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$15.1 m
The average approval of $314,618 sits well above the median of $115,000, 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 23.5 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.
Benton County
Do SBA loans in Benton County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded7
- Paid in full6
- Charged off1
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Exempt from disclosure8
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
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.
Benton County
Which parts of Benton County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending8
- VINTON, approvals7
- SHELLSBURG, approvals3
- Walford, approvals2
- Blairstown, approvals1
- La Porte City, approvals1
- ATKINS, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| VINTON | 7 | $3,332,300 |
| SHELLSBURG | 3 | $474,000 |
| Walford | 2 | $320,000 |
| Blairstown | 1 | $260,000 |
| La Porte City | 1 | $115,000 |
| ATKINS | 1 | $47,200 |
| NORWAY | 1 | $75,000 |
| BELLE PLAINE | 1 | $725,000 |
VINTON accounts for 7 approvals against 3 in SHELLSBURG. 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.
Benton County
How big is Benton County
- Land area716 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties11th of 99
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south30.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land36
- Establishments per square mile0.75
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.
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.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- 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 Benton 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 Benton County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population25,724
- Households10,202
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$86,962
- Median age43.1
Common questions
Benton County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Benton County, Iowa?
25,724, in 10,202 households, ranking 25th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Benton County growing?
The population has grown 0.84 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 240 births against 267 deaths, with net migration of 58. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Benton County?
$86,962. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $208,200, which is 2.4 times income, and median gross rent is $826 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Benton County?
535 establishments, employing 4,296 people with an annual payroll of $202.1 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 Benton County?
Average annual pay is $54,216, or $1,043 a week, across 6,069 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Benton County?
17 7(a) approvals totalling $5.3 m since FY2020, across 10 lenders, with a median approval of $115,000, plus 9 504 approvals worth $9.7 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Benton County?
43 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $13.8 m. Multifamily was 23.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Benton 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 Benton County come from?
The largest single origin is Benton County Non-migrants, with 9,718 households. Arriving households report an average income of $55,107 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 Benton 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 Benton 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.