Hancock County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Hancock County, Iowa has a population of 10,671 across 571 square miles, down 1.6 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $1.20 bn in 2024, 302 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 11 7(a) approvals worth $4.7 m.
118 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Hancock County
How many people live in Hancock County
- Population10,671
- Households4,673
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$70,601
- Median age44.6
- Median gross rent$736 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$141,400
- Home value to household income2.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income12.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over7,599
- Population under 182,243
- Share under 1821.0 percent
- Population 65 and over2,554
- Share 65 and over23.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 645,874
- Civilian labor force5,484
- Unemployment rate1.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.1 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties69th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents2442nd
Hancock County is the 69th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.0 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.9 percent against 21.0 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.
Hancock County
Is Hancock County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.64 percent
- Census 2020 base population10,793
- Births, 2024122
- Deaths, 2024127
- Natural change, 2024-5
- Net domestic migration, 2024-17
- Net international migration, 20247
- Total net migration, 2024-10
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-95
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2403rd
The county has lost 1.64 percent of its population since the 2020 census base.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Hancock County
Where people moving to Hancock County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving253
- People arriving, from those returns466
- Adjusted gross income arriving$12.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$48,569
- Largest single originHancock County Non-migrants (4,090 households)
- Largest single destination (4,090 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County Non-migrants | 4,090 | 8,574 | $335.8 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 98 | 183 | $4.4 m |
| Cerro Gordo County | 63 | 113 | $3.3 m |
| Winnebago County | 36 | 73 | $2.0 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 33 | 52 | $1.4 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 33 | 52 | $1.4 m |
| Wright County | 23 | 45 | $1.2 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Hancock 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.
Hancock County
What the Hancock County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$1.20 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.15 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.1 percent
- GDP change over five years60.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among Iowa counties39th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1691st
- GDP per resident$112,831
Output grew 5.1 percent in the latest year and 60.5 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.
Hancock County
Who employs people in Hancock County
- Covered employment, annual average5,982
- Establishments reporting379
- Average annual pay$59,900
- Average weekly wage$1,152
- Sector 31-33, employment2,877
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$67,162
- Sector 44-45, employment373
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$50,019
- Sector 42, employment228
- Sector 42, average annual pay$80,102
- Sector 48-49, employment209
- Sector 48-49, average annual pay$63,741
- Sector 23, employment182
- Sector 54, employment179
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 2,877 | 24 | $67,162 |
| Sector 44-45 | 373 | 33 | $50,019 |
| Sector 42 | 228 | 31 | $80,102 |
| Sector 48-49 | 209 | 34 | $63,741 |
| Sector 23 | 182 | 30 | $62,169 |
| Sector 54 | 179 | 27 | $63,082 |
| Sector 81 | 165 | 26 | $47,283 |
| Sector 72 | 129 | 15 | $17,771 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 2,877 jobs, 48.1 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.
Hancock County
What businesses operate in Hancock County
- Establishments, all industries302
- Employment at those establishments3,643
- Annual payroll$210.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.3
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.
Hancock County
What is being built in Hancock County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202413
- Declared construction value permitted$3.8 m
- Single family units authorised7
- Multifamily units authorised6
- Multifamily share of units46.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$293,944
- Units authorised per 1,000 households2.8
Multifamily is 46.2 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Hancock County
How much SBA lending happens in Hancock County
- 7(a) approvals recorded11
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$4.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$426,382
- Median 7(a) approval$250,000
- 10th percentile approval$17,500
- 90th percentile approval$425,000
- Largest single approval$2,738,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)38
- Jobs per approval3.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active4
- Distinct industries receiving approvals9
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer27.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter7
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countSporting and Recreational Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (2)
- Most active lenderClear Lake Bank & Trust Company (7)
- 504 approvals recorded6
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.2 m
- Average 504 approval$192,833
- Median 504 approval$207,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval4.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved24.2
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (3)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals64.7 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$5.8 m
The average approval of $426,382 sits well above the median of $250,000, 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 27.3 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.
Hancock County
Do SBA loans in Hancock County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure5
- 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.
Hancock County
Which parts of Hancock County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending4
- GARNER, approvals6
- BRITT, approvals3
- FOREST CITY, approvals1
- KANAWHA, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| GARNER | 6 | $1,133,700 |
| BRITT | 3 | $3,088,000 |
| FOREST CITY | 1 | $193,500 |
| KANAWHA | 1 | $275,000 |
GARNER accounts for 6 approvals against 3 in BRITT. 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.
Hancock County
How big is Hancock County
- Land area571 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties46th of 99
- Width, east to west23.9 mi
- Height, north to south24 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land19
- Establishments per square mile0.53
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 Hancock 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 Hancock County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population10,671
- Households4,673
- Average household size2.28
- Median household income$70,601
- Median age44.6
Common questions
Hancock County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Hancock County, Iowa?
10,671, in 4,673 households, ranking 69th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Hancock County growing?
The population has fallen 1.64 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 122 births against 127 deaths, with net migration of -10. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Hancock County?
$70,601. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $141,400, which is 2.0 times income, and median gross rent is $736 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Hancock County?
302 establishments, employing 3,643 people with an annual payroll of $210.4 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 Hancock County?
Average annual pay is $59,900, or $1,152 a week, across 5,982 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Hancock County?
11 7(a) approvals totalling $4.7 m since FY2020, across 4 lenders, with a median approval of $250,000, plus 6 504 approvals worth $1.2 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Hancock County?
13 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $3.8 m. Multifamily was 46.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Hancock 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 Hancock County come from?
The largest single origin is Hancock County Non-migrants, with 4,090 households. Arriving households report an average income of $48,569 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 Hancock 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 Hancock 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.