Wapello County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Wapello County, Iowa has a population of 35,362 across 432 square miles, up 0.7 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $2.16 bn in 2024, 699 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 28 7(a) approvals worth $11.5 m.
117 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Wapello County
How many people live in Wapello County
- Population35,362
- Households13,997
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$64,766
- Median age39.2
- Median gross rent$920 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$125,100
- Home value to household income1.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher19.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over24,009
- Population under 188,432
- Share under 1823.8 percent
- Population 65 and over6,496
- Share 65 and over18.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6420,434
- Civilian labor force17,251
- Unemployment rate4.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.1 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties20th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1333rd
Wapello County is the 20th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 1.9 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.8 percent against 18.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wapello County
Is Wapello County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.69 percent
- Census 2020 base population35,435
- Births, 2024458
- Deaths, 2024423
- Natural change, 202435
- Net domestic migration, 2024-239
- Net international migration, 2024467
- Total net migration, 2024228
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-715
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1590th
The county has grown 0.69 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.
Wapello County
Where people moving to Wapello County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving762
- People arriving, from those returns1,436
- Adjusted gross income arriving$32.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$42,988
- Largest single originWapello County Non-migrants (12,478 households)
- Largest single destination (12,478 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wapello County Non-migrants | 12,478 | 25,832 | $796.9 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 313 | 589 | $12.5 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 193 | 327 | $8.8 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 126 | 240 | $5.1 m |
| Other flows - South | 118 | 227 | $4.5 m |
| Other flows - West | 69 | 122 | $2.8 m |
| Mahaska County | 63 | 129 | $3.4 m |
| Davis County | 48 | 73 | $1.6 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Wapello 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.
Wapello County
What the Wapello County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$2.16 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.16 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.0 percent
- GDP change over five years23.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among Iowa counties20th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1214th
- GDP per resident$61,077
Output grew 0.0 percent in the latest year and 23.4 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.
Wapello County
Who employs people in Wapello County
- Covered employment, annual average15,384
- Establishments reporting887
- Average annual pay$53,071
- Average weekly wage$1,021
- Sector 31-33, employment3,722
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$75,516
- Sector 44-45, employment2,066
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$33,559
- Sector 62, employment2,049
- Sector 62, average annual pay$54,006
- Sector 72, employment1,204
- Sector 72, average annual pay$17,080
- Sector 48-49, employment646
- Sector 23, employment586
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 3,722 | 31 | $75,516 |
| Sector 44-45 | 2,066 | 114 | $33,559 |
| Sector 62 | 2,049 | 131 | $54,006 |
| Sector 72 | 1,204 | 79 | $17,080 |
| Sector 48-49 | 646 | 38 | $55,495 |
| Sector 23 | 586 | 66 | $68,428 |
| Sector 56 | 553 | 58 | $44,766 |
| Sector 81 | 325 | 59 | $33,391 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 3,722 jobs, 24.2 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.
Wapello County
What businesses operate in Wapello County
- Establishments, all industries699
- Employment at those establishments12,594
- Annual payroll$625.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.8
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.
Wapello County
What is being built in Wapello County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202445
- Declared construction value permitted$11.6 m
- Single family units authorised39
- Multifamily units authorised6
- Multifamily share of units13.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$258,696
- Units authorised per 1,000 households3.2
Multifamily is 13.3 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wapello County
How much SBA lending happens in Wapello County
- 7(a) approvals recorded28
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$11.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$411,486
- Median 7(a) approval$173,900
- 10th percentile approval$20,300
- 90th percentile approval$1,329,300
- Largest single approval$2,670,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)173
- Jobs per approval6.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active12
- Distinct industries receiving approvals20
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer21.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter19
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals7.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFitness and Recreational Sports Centers (3)
- Most active lenderCommunity 1st CU (11)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.2 m
- Average 504 approval$438,800
- Median 504 approval$361,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval7.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved16.0
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (3)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals84.8 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$13.7 m
The average approval of $411,486 sits well above the median of $173,900, 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 21.4 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.
Wapello County
Do SBA loans in Wapello County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded9
- Paid in full9
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure18
- Status: Paid in full9
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 9 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.
Wapello County
Which parts of Wapello County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending3
- OTTUMWA, approvals26
- EDDYVILLE, approvals1
- AGENCY, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| OTTUMWA | 26 | $11,442,800 |
| EDDYVILLE | 1 | $20,300 |
| AGENCY | 1 | $58,500 |
OTTUMWA accounts for 26 approvals against 1 in EDDYVILLE. 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.
Wapello County
How big is Wapello County
- Land area432 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties87th of 99
- Width, east to west24.1 mi
- Height, north to south18.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land82
- Establishments per square mile1.62
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 Wapello 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 Wapello County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population35,362
- Households13,997
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$64,766
- Median age39.2
Common questions
Wapello County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wapello County, Iowa?
35,362, in 13,997 households, ranking 20th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wapello County growing?
The population has grown 0.69 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 458 births against 423 deaths, with net migration of 228. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wapello County?
$64,766. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $125,100, which is 1.9 times income, and median gross rent is $920 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Wapello County?
699 establishments, employing 12,594 people with an annual payroll of $625.1 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 Wapello County?
Average annual pay is $53,071, or $1,021 a week, across 15,384 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wapello County?
28 7(a) approvals totalling $11.5 m since FY2020, across 12 lenders, with a median approval of $173,900, plus 5 504 approvals worth $2.2 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Wapello County?
45 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $11.6 m. Multifamily was 13.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wapello 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 Wapello County come from?
The largest single origin is Wapello County Non-migrants, with 12,478 households. Arriving households report an average income of $42,988 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 Wapello 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 Wapello 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.