Monroe County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Monroe County, Iowa has a population of 7,513 across 434 square miles, down 2.6 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $619.0 m in 2024, 183 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 11 7(a) approvals worth $4.4 m.
117 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Monroe County
How many people live in Monroe County
- Population7,513
- Households3,089
- Average household size2.43
- Median household income$70,996
- Median age41.8
- Median gross rent$798 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$156,300
- Home value to household income2.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over5,217
- Population under 181,731
- Share under 1823.0 percent
- Population 65 and over1,548
- Share 65 and over20.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 644,234
- Civilian labor force3,641
- Unemployment rate3.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.0 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties87th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents2691st
Monroe County is the 87th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.2 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.0 percent against 20.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Monroe County
Is Monroe County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.64 percent
- Census 2020 base population7,573
- Births, 202482
- Deaths, 2024107
- Natural change, 2024-25
- Net domestic migration, 2024-87
- Net international migration, 2024-2
- Total net migration, 2024-89
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-76
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2669th
The county has lost 2.64 percent of its population since the 2020 census base.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Monroe County
Where people moving to Monroe County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving182
- People arriving, from those returns340
- Adjusted gross income arriving$9.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$54,451
- Largest single originMonroe County Non-migrants (2,803 households)
- Largest single destination (2,803 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County Non-migrants | 2,803 | 5,978 | $201.8 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 121 | 216 | $6.8 m |
| Wapello County | 34 | 75 | $1.7 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 27 | 49 | $1.5 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 27 | 49 | $1.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Monroe 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.
Monroe County
What the Monroe County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$619.0 m
- County GDP, 2023$612.3 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.1 percent
- GDP change over five years42.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among Iowa counties80th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents2249th
- GDP per resident$82,386
Output grew 1.1 percent in the latest year and 42.2 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.
Monroe County
Who employs people in Monroe County
- Covered employment, annual average3,718
- Establishments reporting254
- Average annual pay$66,659
- Average weekly wage$1,282
- Sector 31-33, employment1,398
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$80,424
- Sector 44-45, employment228
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$25,862
- Sector 42, employment159
- Sector 42, average annual pay$60,447
- Sector 23, employment137
- Sector 23, average annual pay$63,897
- Sector 81, employment34
- Sector 51, employment29
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 1,398 | 21 | $80,424 |
| Sector 44-45 | 228 | 21 | $25,862 |
| Sector 42 | 159 | 20 | $60,447 |
| Sector 23 | 137 | 20 | $63,897 |
| Sector 81 | 34 | 12 | $30,846 |
| Sector 51 | 29 | 5 | $36,203 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 1,398 jobs, 37.6 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.
Monroe County
What businesses operate in Monroe County
- Establishments, all industries183
- Employment at those establishments2,403
- Annual payroll$134.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.4
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.
Monroe County
What is being built in Monroe County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20248
- Declared construction value permitted$1.8 m
- Single family units authorised8
- Multifamily units authorised0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$230,150
- Units authorised per 1,000 households2.6
Multifamily is 0.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Monroe County
How much SBA lending happens in Monroe County
- 7(a) approvals recorded11
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$4.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$400,073
- Median 7(a) approval$164,300
- 10th percentile approval$12,000
- 90th percentile approval$500,000
- Largest single approval$2,675,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)194
- Jobs per approval17.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals7
- Median 7(a) term84 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer0.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms0
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter10
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countTravel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing (4)
- Most active lenderCommunity 1st CU (7)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$901,000
- Average 504 approval$901,000
- Median 504 approval$901,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval55.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved61.0
- Most active CDCSiouxland Economic Development Corporation (1)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals91.7 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$5.3 m
The average approval of $400,073 sits well above the median of $164,300, 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 0.0 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.
Monroe County
Do SBA loans in Monroe County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded8
- Paid in full7
- Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
- Status: Charged off1
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 8 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.
Monroe County
Which parts of Monroe County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending3
- ALBIA, approvals9
- LOVILIA, approvals1
- EDDYVILLE, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| ALBIA | 9 | $4,211,500 |
| LOVILIA | 1 | $164,300 |
| EDDYVILLE | 1 | $25,000 |
ALBIA accounts for 9 approvals against 1 in LOVILIA. 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.
Monroe County
How big is Monroe County
- Land area434 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties84th of 99
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south18.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land17
- Establishments per square mile0.42
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 Monroe 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 Monroe County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population7,513
- Households3,089
- Average household size2.43
- Median household income$70,996
- Median age41.8
Common questions
Monroe County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Monroe County, Iowa?
7,513, in 3,089 households, ranking 87th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Monroe County growing?
The population has fallen 2.64 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 82 births against 107 deaths, with net migration of -89. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Monroe County?
$70,996. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $156,300, which is 2.2 times income, and median gross rent is $798 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Monroe County?
183 establishments, employing 2,403 people with an annual payroll of $134.7 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 Monroe County?
Average annual pay is $66,659, or $1,282 a week, across 3,718 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Monroe County?
11 7(a) approvals totalling $4.4 m since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $164,300, plus 1 504 approvals worth $901,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Monroe County?
8 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.8 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Monroe 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 Monroe County come from?
The largest single origin is Monroe County Non-migrants, with 2,803 households. Arriving households report an average income of $54,451 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 Monroe 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 Monroe 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.