Ionia County, Michigan: commercial real estate data.
Ionia County, Michigan has a population of 66,574 across 571 square miles, down 0.8 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $2.33 bn in 2024, 904 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 57 7(a) approvals worth $15.8 m.
127 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Ionia County
How many people live in Ionia County
- Population66,574
- Households23,355
- Average household size2.85
- Median household income$75,611
- Median age39.1
- Median gross rent$884 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$198,500
- Home value to household income2.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over46,711
- Population under 1813,909
- Share under 1820.9 percent
- Population 65 and over10,522
- Share 65 and over15.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6442,143
- Civilian labor force32,178
- Unemployment rate3.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.1 percent
- Rank by population among Michigan counties30th of 83
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents822nd
Ionia County is the 30th largest of 83 Michigan counties by population. A median home costs 2.6 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.9 percent against 15.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Ionia County
Is Ionia County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.83 percent
- Census 2020 base population66,804
- Births, 2024594
- Deaths, 2024584
- Natural change, 202410
- Net domestic migration, 2024106
- Net international migration, 202430
- Total net migration, 2024136
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-717
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2133rd
The county has lost 0.83 percent of its population 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.
Ionia County
Where people moving to Ionia County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,753
- People arriving, from those returns3,053
- Adjusted gross income arriving$83.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$47,844
- Largest single originIonia County Non-migrants (23,309 households)
- Largest single destination (23,309 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ionia County Non-migrants | 23,309 | 48,103 | $1.54 bn |
| Kent County | 526 | 911 | $27.6 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 269 | 412 | $10.4 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 219 | 428 | $11.9 m |
| Montcalm County | 203 | 359 | $7.7 m |
| Eaton County | 129 | 254 | $7.8 m |
| Other flows - South | 98 | 183 | $5.5 m |
| Ingham County | 93 | 135 | $4.7 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Ionia 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.
Ionia County
What the Ionia County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$2.33 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.25 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.6 percent
- GDP change over five years51.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among Michigan counties33rd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1160th
- GDP per resident$34,986
Output grew 3.6 percent in the latest year and 51.1 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.
Ionia County
Who employs people in Ionia County
- Covered employment, annual average18,530
- Establishments reporting1,090
- Average annual pay$48,605
- Average weekly wage$935
- Sector 31-33, employment3,673
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$63,740
- Sector 44-45, employment1,747
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$31,455
- Sector 62, employment1,242
- Sector 62, average annual pay$51,841
- Sector 72, employment1,207
- Sector 72, average annual pay$20,240
- Sector 52, employment646
- Sector 81, employment526
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 3,673 | 78 | $63,740 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,747 | 131 | $31,455 |
| Sector 62 | 1,242 | 118 | $51,841 |
| Sector 72 | 1,207 | 87 | $20,240 |
| Sector 52 | 646 | 54 | $64,933 |
| Sector 81 | 526 | 171 | $29,996 |
| Sector 42 | 375 | 24 | $75,935 |
| Sector 71 | 210 | 20 | $22,890 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 3,673 jobs, 19.8 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.
Ionia County
What businesses operate in Ionia County
- Establishments, all industries904
- Employment at those establishments12,367
- Annual payroll$551.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents13.6
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.
Ionia County
What is being built in Ionia County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202494
- Declared construction value permitted$33.2 m
- Single family units authorised94
- Multifamily units authorised0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$352,935
- Units authorised per 1,000 households4.0
Multifamily is 0.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Ionia County
How much SBA lending happens in Ionia County
- 7(a) approvals recorded57
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$15.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$276,567
- Median 7(a) approval$81,600
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$612,300
- Largest single approval$3,525,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)245
- Jobs per approval4.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active16
- Distinct industries receiving approvals35
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer12.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms7
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter47
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals8.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFinish Carpentry Contractors (6)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (34)
- 504 approvals recorded11
- 504 gross approval dollars$5.5 m
- Average 504 approval$504,000
- Median 504 approval$284,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval2.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved5.8
- Most active CDCGreat Lakes Commercial Finance (9)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals83.8 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$21.3 m
The average approval of $276,567 sits well above the median of $81,600, 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 12.3 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.
Ionia County
Do SBA loans in Ionia County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded11
- Paid in full11
- Charged off0
- Charge off rate on resolved loans0.0 percent
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Paid in full11
- Status: Exempt from disclosure37
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
Of the 11 loans that have reached a final outcome, 0.0 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.
Ionia County
Which parts of Ionia County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending8
- Portland, approvals17
- Belding, approvals14
- IONIA, approvals13
- Lake Odessa, approvals6
- Saranac, approvals3
- Clarksville, approvals2
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | 17 | $6,299,800 |
| Belding | 14 | $4,241,100 |
| IONIA | 13 | $3,113,900 |
| Lake Odessa | 6 | $1,331,700 |
| Saranac | 3 | $117,800 |
| Clarksville | 2 | $175,000 |
| GRAND LEDGE | 1 | $85,000 |
| FREEPORT | 1 | $400,000 |
Portland accounts for 17 approvals against 14 in Belding. 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.
Ionia County
How big is Ionia County
- Land area571 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Michigan counties40th of 83
- Width, east to west24.1 mi
- Height, north to south24.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land117
- Establishments per square mile1.58
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.
Ionia County
What hazards affect Ionia County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book20
- Of those, participating in the NFIP16
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
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.
- 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 Ionia 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 Ionia County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population66,574
- Households23,355
- Average household size2.85
- Median household income$75,611
- Median age39.1
Common questions
Ionia County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Ionia County, Michigan?
66,574, in 23,355 households, ranking 30th of 83 Michigan counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Ionia County growing?
The population has fallen 0.83 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 594 births against 584 deaths, with net migration of 136. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Ionia County?
$75,611. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $198,500, which is 2.6 times income, and median gross rent is $884 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Ionia County?
904 establishments, employing 12,367 people with an annual payroll of $551.4 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 Ionia County?
Average annual pay is $48,605, or $935 a week, across 18,530 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Ionia County?
57 7(a) approvals totalling $15.8 m since FY2020, across 16 lenders, with a median approval of $81,600, plus 11 504 approvals worth $5.5 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Ionia County get paid back?
Of the 11 loans that have reached a final outcome, 11 were paid in full and 0 charged off, a charge off rate of 0.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Ionia County?
94 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $33.2 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Ionia County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Ionia County come from?
The largest single origin is Ionia County Non-migrants, with 23,309 households. Arriving households report an average income of $47,844 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 Ionia 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 Ionia 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.