Wright County, Iowa: commercial real estate data.
Wright County, Iowa has a population of 12,791 across 580 square miles, down 1.7 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $1.25 bn in 2024, 358 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 3 7(a) approvals worth $696,000.
116 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Wright County
How many people live in Wright County
- Population12,791
- Households5,353
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$67,190
- Median age39.4
- Median gross rent$790 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$119,600
- Home value to household income1.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over8,568
- Population under 183,329
- Share under 1826.0 percent
- Population 65 and over2,827
- Share 65 and over22.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 646,635
- Civilian labor force5,909
- Unemployment rate1.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.4 percent
- Rank by population among Iowa counties59th of 99
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents2297th
Wright County is the 59th largest of 99 Iowa counties by population. A median home costs 1.8 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 26.0 percent against 22.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wright County
Is Wright County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.69 percent
- Census 2020 base population12,948
- Births, 2024180
- Deaths, 2024151
- Natural change, 202429
- Net domestic migration, 2024-178
- Net international migration, 2024134
- Total net migration, 2024-44
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-538
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2416th
The county has lost 1.69 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Births exceeded deaths in 2024 but more people left than arrived, so the population is being sustained internally rather than attracting.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Wright County
Where people moving to Wright County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving240
- People arriving, from those returns419
- Adjusted gross income arriving$11.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$46,275
- Largest single originWright County Non-migrants (4,585 households)
- Largest single destination (4,585 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wright County Non-migrants | 4,585 | 9,716 | $324.4 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 153 | 258 | $7.1 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 66 | 133 | $2.9 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 36 | 67 | $2.0 m |
| Other flows - South | 30 | 66 | $931,000 |
| Webster County | 21 | 28 | $1.1 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Wright 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.
Wright County
What the Wright County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$1.25 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.04 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 202419.5 percent
- GDP change over five years88.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among Iowa counties38th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1672nd
- GDP per resident$97,461
Output grew 19.5 percent in the latest year and 88.5 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.
Wright County
Who employs people in Wright County
- Covered employment, annual average6,237
- Establishments reporting468
- Average annual pay$58,576
- Average weekly wage$1,126
- Sector 31-33, employment1,490
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$68,539
- Sector 11, employment936
- Sector 11, average annual pay$58,162
- Sector 44-45, employment440
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$25,315
- Sector 42, employment394
- Sector 42, average annual pay$87,187
- Sector 72, employment236
- Sector 23, employment188
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 1,490 | 19 | $68,539 |
| Sector 11 | 936 | 62 | $58,162 |
| Sector 44-45 | 440 | 42 | $25,315 |
| Sector 42 | 394 | 37 | $87,187 |
| Sector 72 | 236 | 30 | $15,618 |
| Sector 23 | 188 | 35 | $58,145 |
| Sector 52 | 141 | 31 | $76,094 |
| Sector 81 | 82 | 26 | $43,207 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 1,490 jobs, 23.9 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.
Wright County
What businesses operate in Wright County
- Establishments, all industries358
- Employment at those establishments4,315
- Annual payroll$243.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.0
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.
Wright County
What is being built in Wright County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202418
- Declared construction value permitted$2.9 m
- Single family units authorised4
- Multifamily units authorised14
- Multifamily share of units77.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$158,889
- Units authorised per 1,000 households3.4
Multifamily is 77.8 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wright County
How much SBA lending happens in Wright County
- 7(a) approvals recorded3
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$696,000
- Average 7(a) approval$232,000
- Median 7(a) approval$201,000
- 10th percentile approval$135,000
- 90th percentile approval$360,000
- Largest single approval$360,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)17
- Jobs per approval5.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals3
- Median 7(a) term126 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer33.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter1
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countDrinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (1)
- Most active lenderFirst Bank (1)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$679,000
- Average 504 approval$339,500
- Median 504 approval$535,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval3.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.3
- Most active CDCSiouxland Economic Development Corporation (2)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals60.0 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$1.4 m
The average approval of $232,000 sits close to the median of $201,000, so lending here is fairly evenly sized rather than driven by a few large deals. 33.3 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.
Wright County
Do SBA loans in Wright County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure2
- Status: Cancelled1
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 0 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.
Wright County
Which parts of Wright County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending3
- Mason City, approvals1
- Eagle Grove, approvals1
- CLARION, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Mason City | 1 | $201,000 |
| Eagle Grove | 1 | $360,000 |
| CLARION | 1 | $135,000 |
Mason City accounts for 1 approvals against 1 in Eagle Grove. 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.
Wright County
How big is Wright County
- Land area580 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Iowa counties30th of 99
- Width, east to west24 mi
- Height, north to south24.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land22
- Establishments per square mile0.62
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 Wright 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 Wright County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population12,791
- Households5,353
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$67,190
- Median age39.4
Common questions
Wright County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wright County, Iowa?
12,791, in 5,353 households, ranking 59th of 99 Iowa counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wright County growing?
The population has fallen 1.69 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 180 births against 151 deaths, with net migration of -44. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wright County?
$67,190. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $119,600, which is 1.8 times income, and median gross rent is $790 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Wright County?
358 establishments, employing 4,315 people with an annual payroll of $243.2 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 Wright County?
Average annual pay is $58,576, or $1,126 a week, across 6,237 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wright County?
3 7(a) approvals totalling $696,000 since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $201,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $679,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Wright County?
18 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $2.9 m. Multifamily was 77.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wright 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 Wright County come from?
The largest single origin is Wright County Non-migrants, with 4,585 households. Arriving households report an average income of $46,275 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 Wright 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 Wright 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.