Johnson County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Johnson County, Iowa has a population of 156,639 across 614 square miles, up 4.7 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $12.64 bn in 2024, 3,490 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 100 7(a) approvals worth $35.0 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Johnson County
How many people live in Johnson County
- Population156,639
- Households63,341
- Average household size2.47
- Median household income$74,935
- Median age31.0
- Median gross rent$1,122 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$308,600
- Home value to household income4.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher55.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree24.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over93,834
- Population under 1830,276
- Share under 1819.3 percent
- Population 65 and over20,834
- Share 65 and over13.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64105,529
- Civilian labor force90,024
- Unemployment rate3.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over71.2 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties4th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents443rd
Johnson County is the 4th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 4.1 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 19.3 percent against 13.3 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Johnson County
Is Johnson County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.73 percent
- Census 2020 base population152,854
- Births, 20241,690
- Deaths, 2024901
- Natural change, 2024789
- Net domestic migration, 2024-679
- Net international migration, 20241,759
- Total net migration, 20241,080
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-898
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents570th
The county has grown 4.73 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Johnson County
Where people moving to Johnson County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving4,699
- People arriving, from those returns7,121
- Adjusted gross income arriving$300.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$63,933
- Largest single originJohnson County Non-migrants (53,569 households)
- Largest single destination (53,569 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County Non-migrants | 53,569 | 106,524 | $5.65 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,944 | 3,061 | $133.5 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 779 | 1,178 | $51.3 m |
| Linn County | 620 | 925 | $39.5 m |
| Other flows - South | 572 | 956 | $40.1 m |
| Other flows - West | 393 | 619 | $28.7 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 367 | 491 | $19.6 m |
| Polk County | 203 | 274 | $10.2 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Johnson 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.
Johnson County
What the Johnson County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$12.64 bn
- County GDP, 2023$12.09 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.6 percent
- GDP change over five years24.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among Iowa counties4th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents368th
- GDP per resident$80,696
Output grew 4.6 percent in the latest year and 24.4 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.
Johnson County
Who employs people in Johnson County
- Covered employment, annual average83,750
- Establishments reporting5,140
- Average annual pay$64,363
- Average weekly wage$1,238
- Sector 44-45, employment9,289
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$34,331
- Sector 72, employment8,326
- Sector 72, average annual pay$22,399
- Sector 62, employment7,683
- Sector 62, average annual pay$44,456
- Sector 31-33, employment4,912
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$76,958
- Sector 48-49, employment3,024
- Sector 23, employment2,852
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 44-45 | 9,289 | 496 | $34,331 |
| Sector 72 | 8,326 | 410 | $22,399 |
| Sector 62 | 7,683 | 655 | $44,456 |
| Sector 31-33 | 4,912 | 115 | $76,958 |
| Sector 48-49 | 3,024 | 91 | $55,917 |
| Sector 23 | 2,852 | 380 | $69,191 |
| Sector 54 | 2,707 | 826 | $94,059 |
| Sector 56 | 2,252 | 322 | $54,316 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 9,289 jobs, 11.1 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.
Johnson County
What businesses operate in Johnson County
- Establishments, all industries3,490
- Employment at those establishments68,965
- Annual payroll$3.63 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.3
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.
Johnson County
What is being built in Johnson County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024714
- Declared construction value permitted$209.3 m
- Single family units authorised512
- Multifamily units authorised202
- Multifamily share of units28.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$293,181
- Units authorised per 1,000 households11.3
Multifamily is 28.3 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Johnson County
How much SBA lending happens in Johnson County
- 7(a) approvals recorded100
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$35.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$350,286
- Median 7(a) approval$190,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$620,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)951
- Jobs per approval9.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active29
- Distinct industries receiving approvals59
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer3.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter90
- Franchise loans21
- Franchise share of approvals21.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (9)
- Most active lenderNicolet National Bank (19)
- 504 approvals recorded32
- 504 gross approval dollars$31.9 m
- Average 504 approval$996,656
- Median 504 approval$643,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval10.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.7
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (19)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals75.8 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$66.9 m
The average approval of $350,286 sits well above the median of $190,000, 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 3.0 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.
Johnson County
Do SBA loans in Johnson County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded31
- Paid in full29
- Charged off2
- Charge off rate on resolved loans6.5 percent
- Status: Paid in full29
- Status: Exempt from disclosure59
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed5
Of the 31 loans that have reached a final outcome, 6.5 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.
Johnson County
Which parts of Johnson County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending9
- Iowa City, approvals45
- NORTH LIBERTY, approvals21
- Coralville, approvals19
- TIFFIN, approvals9
- Coraville, approvals2
- OXFORD, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa City | 45 | $16,912,000 |
| NORTH LIBERTY | 21 | $5,297,500 |
| Coralville | 19 | $10,239,400 |
| TIFFIN | 9 | $1,716,500 |
| Coraville | 2 | $355,000 |
| OXFORD | 1 | $10,000 |
| SOLON | 1 | $150,000 |
| Lone Tree | 1 | $200,000 |
Iowa City accounts for 45 approvals against 21 in NORTH LIBERTY. 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.
Johnson County
How big is Johnson County
- Land area614 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties20th of 99
- Width, east to west24.1 mi
- Height, north to south30.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land255
- Establishments per square mile5.68
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 Johnson 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 Johnson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population156,639
- Households63,341
- Average household size2.47
- Median household income$74,935
- Median age31.0
Common questions
Johnson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Johnson County, Iowa?
156,639, in 63,341 households, ranking 4th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Johnson County growing?
The population has grown 4.73 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 1,690 births against 901 deaths, with net migration of 1,080. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Johnson County?
$74,935. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $308,600, which is 4.1 times income, and median gross rent is $1,122 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Johnson County?
3,490 establishments, employing 68,965 people with an annual payroll of $3.63 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 Johnson County?
Average annual pay is $64,363, or $1,238 a week, across 83,750 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Johnson County?
100 7(a) approvals totalling $35.0 m since FY2020, across 29 lenders, with a median approval of $190,000, plus 32 504 approvals worth $31.9 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Johnson County get paid back?
Of the 31 loans that have reached a final outcome, 29 were paid in full and 2 charged off, a charge off rate of 6.5 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Johnson County?
714 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $209.3 m. Multifamily was 28.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Johnson 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 Johnson County come from?
The largest single origin is Johnson County Non-migrants, with 53,569 households. Arriving households report an average income of $63,933 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 Johnson 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 Johnson 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.