Boone County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Boone County, Iowa has a population of 26,668 across 572 square miles, up 0.1 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $1.29 bn in 2024, 603 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 23 7(a) approvals worth $12.3 m.
121 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Boone County
How many people live in Boone County
- Population26,668
- Households10,936
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$83,531
- Median age42.4
- Median gross rent$845 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$212,400
- Home value to household income2.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income12.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher28.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over19,121
- Population under 185,612
- Share under 1821.0 percent
- Population 65 and over5,324
- Share 65 and over20.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6415,732
- Civilian labor force14,471
- Unemployment rate1.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over68.7 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties23rd of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1591st
Boone County is the 23rd largest of 99 Iowa 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 21.0 percent against 20.0 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Boone County
Is Boone County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.06 percent
- Census 2020 base population26,712
- Births, 2024280
- Deaths, 2024331
- Natural change, 2024-51
- Net domestic migration, 2024212
- Net international migration, 20241
- Total net migration, 2024213
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024338
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1803rd
The county has grown 0.06 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.
Boone County
Where people moving to Boone County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving770
- People arriving, from those returns1,307
- Adjusted gross income arriving$47.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$62,199
- Largest single originBoone County Non-migrants (10,148 households)
- Largest single destination (10,148 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County Non-migrants | 10,148 | 21,050 | $826.5 m |
| Story County | 195 | 363 | $14.7 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 172 | 263 | $9.0 m |
| Polk County | 164 | 284 | $10.1 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 159 | 266 | $9.2 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 64 | 110 | $4.0 m |
| Dallas County | 55 | 90 | $3.7 m |
| Other flows - South | 49 | 70 | $2.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Boone 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.
Boone County
What the Boone County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$1.29 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.36 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-4.9 percent
- GDP change over five years19.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among Iowa counties34th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1636th
- GDP per resident$48,500
Output grew -4.9 percent in the latest year and 19.1 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.
Boone County
Who employs people in Boone County
- Covered employment, annual average8,930
- Establishments reporting749
- Average annual pay$53,922
- Average weekly wage$1,037
- Sector 44-45, employment1,019
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$34,776
- Sector 62, employment966
- Sector 62, average annual pay$39,923
- Sector 48-49, employment773
- Sector 48-49, average annual pay$65,501
- Sector 23, employment652
- Sector 23, average annual pay$72,230
- Sector 72, employment558
- Sector 31-33, employment483
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 44-45 | 1,019 | 71 | $34,776 |
| Sector 62 | 966 | 73 | $39,923 |
| Sector 48-49 | 773 | 28 | $65,501 |
| Sector 23 | 652 | 90 | $72,230 |
| Sector 72 | 558 | 43 | $18,720 |
| Sector 31-33 | 483 | 29 | $57,709 |
| Sector 42 | 319 | 48 | $69,272 |
| Sector 54 | 312 | 62 | $93,320 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 1,019 jobs, 11.4 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.
Boone County
What businesses operate in Boone County
- Establishments, all industries603
- Employment at those establishments6,497
- Annual payroll$314.6 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.6
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.
Boone County
What is being built in Boone County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202475
- Declared construction value permitted$16.0 m
- Single family units authorised53
- Multifamily units authorised22
- Multifamily share of units29.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$212,940
- Units authorised per 1,000 households6.9
Multifamily is 29.3 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Boone County
How much SBA lending happens in Boone County
- 7(a) approvals recorded23
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$12.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$535,461
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,053,800
- Largest single approval$2,857,500
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)289
- Jobs per approval12.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active10
- Distinct industries receiving approvals17
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer21.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter18
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals8.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countElectrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors (3)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (10)
- 504 approvals recorded9
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.9 m
- Average 504 approval$325,667
- Median 504 approval$325,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval5.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved17.1
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (6)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals71.9 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$15.2 m
The average approval of $535,461 sits well above the median of $100,000, 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 21.7 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.
Boone County
Do SBA loans in Boone County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Exempt from disclosure15
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
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.
Boone County
Which parts of Boone County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending7
- BOONE, approvals15
- AMES, approvals2
- MADRID, approvals2
- Perry, approvals1
- POLK CITY, approvals1
- OGDEN, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| BOONE | 15 | $8,973,700 |
| AMES | 2 | $370,000 |
| MADRID | 2 | $1,867,000 |
| Perry | 1 | $162,700 |
| POLK CITY | 1 | $27,200 |
| OGDEN | 1 | $15,000 |
| Luther | 1 | $900,000 |
BOONE accounts for 15 approvals against 2 in AMES. 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.
Boone County
How big is Boone County
- Land area572 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties44th of 99
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south24 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land47
- Establishments per square mile1.05
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 Boone 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 Boone County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population26,668
- Households10,936
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$83,531
- Median age42.4
Common questions
Boone County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Boone County, Iowa?
26,668, in 10,936 households, ranking 23rd of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Boone County growing?
The population has grown 0.06 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 280 births against 331 deaths, with net migration of 213. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Boone County?
$83,531. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $212,400, which is 2.5 times income, and median gross rent is $845 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Boone County?
603 establishments, employing 6,497 people with an annual payroll of $314.6 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 Boone County?
Average annual pay is $53,922, or $1,037 a week, across 8,930 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Boone County?
23 7(a) approvals totalling $12.3 m since FY2020, across 10 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 9 504 approvals worth $2.9 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Boone County?
75 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $16.0 m. Multifamily was 29.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Boone 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 Boone County come from?
The largest single origin is Boone County Non-migrants, with 10,148 households. Arriving households report an average income of $62,199 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 Boone 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 Boone 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.