Washington County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Washington County, Iowa has a population of 22,561 across 569 square miles, up 0.3 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $1.86 bn in 2024, 687 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 13 7(a) approvals worth $5.7 m.
118 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Washington County
How many people live in Washington County
- Population22,561
- Households8,972
- Average household size2.51
- Median household income$75,647
- Median age40.7
- Median gross rent$879 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$203,900
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher26.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over15,390
- Population under 185,533
- Share under 1824.5 percent
- Population 65 and over4,538
- Share 65 and over20.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6412,490
- Civilian labor force11,980
- Unemployment rate2.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over70.4 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties27th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1743rd
Washington County is the 27th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 24.5 percent against 20.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Washington County
Is Washington County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.29 percent
- Census 2020 base population22,565
- Births, 2024265
- Deaths, 2024232
- Natural change, 202433
- Net domestic migration, 2024-4
- Net international migration, 202447
- Total net migration, 202443
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-100
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1721st
The county has grown 0.29 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.
Washington County
Where people moving to Washington County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving553
- People arriving, from those returns1,017
- Adjusted gross income arriving$32.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$57,893
- Largest single originWashington County Non-migrants (8,518 households)
- Largest single destination (8,518 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County Non-migrants | 8,518 | 18,407 | $676.0 m |
| Johnson County | 151 | 274 | $11.0 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 133 | 233 | $6.8 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 129 | 233 | $7.4 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 64 | 118 | $3.0 m |
| Henry County | 41 | 77 | $1.7 m |
| Other flows - South | 37 | 67 | $2.2 m |
| Louisa County | 28 | 56 | $1.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Washington 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.
Washington County
What the Washington County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$1.86 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.64 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 202413.8 percent
- GDP change over five years76.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among Iowa counties24th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1347th
- GDP per resident$82,594
Output grew 13.8 percent in the latest year and 76.5 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.
Washington County
Who employs people in Washington County
- Covered employment, annual average8,558
- Establishments reporting858
- Average annual pay$48,539
- Average weekly wage$933
- Sector 72, employment1,173
- Sector 72, average annual pay$32,728
- Sector 62, employment1,055
- Sector 62, average annual pay$32,858
- Sector 44-45, employment1,022
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$31,558
- Sector 31-33, employment926
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$64,526
- Sector 23, employment870
- Sector 42, employment430
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 72 | 1,173 | 48 | $32,728 |
| Sector 62 | 1,055 | 93 | $32,858 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,022 | 84 | $31,558 |
| Sector 31-33 | 926 | 46 | $64,526 |
| Sector 23 | 870 | 125 | $58,695 |
| Sector 42 | 430 | 58 | $77,144 |
| Sector 81 | 271 | 51 | $35,943 |
| Sector 52 | 197 | 47 | $67,527 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 1,173 jobs, 13.7 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.
Washington County
What businesses operate in Washington County
- Establishments, all industries687
- Employment at those establishments6,474
- Annual payroll$291.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents30.5
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.
Washington County
What is being built in Washington County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202434
- Declared construction value permitted$9.2 m
- Single family units authorised16
- Multifamily units authorised18
- Multifamily share of units52.9 percent
- Average declared value per unit$269,692
- Units authorised per 1,000 households3.8
Multifamily is 52.9 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Washington County
How much SBA lending happens in Washington County
- 7(a) approvals recorded13
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$5.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$435,231
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$15,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,090,000
- Largest single approval$2,929,300
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)75
- Jobs per approval5.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active8
- Distinct industries receiving approvals11
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer38.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter8
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals7.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGasoline Stations with Convenience Stores (2)
- Most active lenderHills Bank and Trust Company (5)
- 504 approvals recorded6
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.6 m
- Average 504 approval$272,500
- Median 504 approval$382,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval5.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved20.2
- Most active CDCIowa Business Growth Company (6)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals68.4 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$7.3 m
The average approval of $435,231 sits well above the median of $150,000, 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. 38.5 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
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.
Washington County
Do SBA loans in Washington County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure8
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 4 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.
Washington County
Which parts of Washington County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending4
- Washington, approvals5
- RIVERSIDE, approvals4
- Kalona, approvals2
- AINSWORTH, approvals2
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 5 | $954,700 |
| RIVERSIDE | 4 | $1,564,000 |
| Kalona | 2 | $2,974,300 |
| AINSWORTH | 2 | $165,000 |
Washington accounts for 5 approvals against 4 in RIVERSIDE. 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.
Washington County
How big is Washington County
- Land area569 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties52nd of 99
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south24.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land40
- Establishments per square mile1.21
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 Washington 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 Washington County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population22,561
- Households8,972
- Average household size2.51
- Median household income$75,647
- Median age40.7
Common questions
Washington County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Washington County, Iowa?
22,561, in 8,972 households, ranking 27th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Washington County growing?
The population has grown 0.29 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 265 births against 232 deaths, with net migration of 43. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Washington County?
$75,647. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $203,900, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $879 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Washington County?
687 establishments, employing 6,474 people with an annual payroll of $291.7 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 Washington County?
Average annual pay is $48,539, or $933 a week, across 8,558 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Washington County?
13 7(a) approvals totalling $5.7 m since FY2020, across 8 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 6 504 approvals worth $1.6 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Washington County?
34 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $9.2 m. Multifamily was 52.9 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Washington 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 Washington County come from?
The largest single origin is Washington County Non-migrants, with 8,518 households. Arriving households report an average income of $57,893 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 Washington 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 Washington 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.