1st Advantage MortgageAbout 77% of Carroll County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $72,930. Use those as context only. A lender looks at your own documented income and debts; compare APR and total repaid on every Carroll County offer.
On this page
- A quick profile of Carroll County
- What Carroll County households earn
- Labor force snapshot: Carroll County
- Where Carroll County households live
- Carroll County against other Iowa counties
- Carroll County communities by population
- The counties around Carroll County
- Carroll County households compared
- Room for a loan payment in Carroll County
- What the numbers mean for Carroll County borrowers
- Checklist for Carroll County applicants
- Licensing and complaints for Carroll County
- More guides for Carroll County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Carroll County
Roughly 20,594 residents live in Carroll County, Iowa, 32nd by population among the state's 99 counties and county equivalents. Carroll County spans 569 square miles; with 20,594 people, that is 36.2 per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 13 places in the county (13 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Carroll, with about 10,208 residents, or 50% of the county.
What Carroll County households earn
Carroll County households have a median income of $72,930 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 38th of 99 in Iowa.
| Households earning | Carroll County | +/- vs Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.8% | -0.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.4% | +1.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.0% | -0.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.7% | -0.9 pts |
21% under $35,000 and 35% at $100,000 or more: that is the Carroll County income split. Carroll County counts about 1,634 residents below the poverty line, 7.9% of the population. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Labor force snapshot: Carroll County
Top Carroll County industry by residents employed: education and health care, 23%; second, manufacturing, 15%. Relative to Iowa (4%), agriculture, forestry and mining is 3 points bigger in Carroll County (6%). Unemployment in Carroll County, ACS five-year: 1.8%; Iowa: 3.6%. Long commutes are the exception here: 6% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Where residents work | Carroll County | Difference from Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.7% | -1.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 14.9% | +0.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.3% | -0.2 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 8.1% | +0.4 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.3% | +2.2 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 6.5% | +2.7 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Where Carroll County households live
Renters in Carroll County pay a median of $731 a month, 25% below the Iowa figure of $972. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 36% of renter households here. Home values center on $176,000, or 2.4 years of median income. Homeowners 77%, renters 23%. Median construction year: 1964. Nationally, Carroll County's $731 rent is 17% below the middle county.
| Cost | Carroll County | Iowa figure | Higher or lower |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent-burdened renters | 36% | 44% | -7.9 pts |
| Owners | 77% | 72% | +5.4 pts |
| Burdened owners | 15% | 20% | -5.0 pts |
| Median gross rent | $731/mo | $972/mo | 25% lower |
| Mobile homes | 0.9% | 3.2% | -2.3 pts |
| Median home value | $176,000 | $208,000 | 15% lower |
| Vacant units | 8% | 8% | -0.5 pts |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Carroll County against other Iowa counties
- On the share of mobile homes, Carroll County sits near the bottom of Iowa at 0.9%, 3rd lowest of 99. Few mobile homes means most owners have traditional equity options.
- The uninsured rate: 2.8% in Carroll County. Only 7 of 99 Iowa counties are lower. Lower uninsured rates still leave deductibles; check what a plan covers first.
- The ACS unemployment rate: 1.8% in Carroll County. Only 11 of 99 Iowa counties are lower. A tight job market helps steady income, but lenders still verify it.
Carroll County communities by population
Places, by size: the top 13 of 13. Roughly 18% of Carroll County lives outside all of them, in open country or unnamed settlements. Arcadia has the highest median household income on the list ($78,542) and Glidden the lowest ($68,333), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $525 in Glidden to $851 in Arcadia. Carroll and every other Carroll County community use this county guide.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll | city | 10,208 | $69,706 | $722 | 2 mi |
| Manning | city | 1,533 | $72,831 | $719 | 14 mi |
| Coon Rapids | city | 1,467 | $76,012 | $780 | 15 mi |
| Glidden | city | 1,169 | $68,333 | $525 | 7 mi |
| Arcadia | city | 796 | $78,542 | $851 | 10 mi |
| Breda | city | 477 | $62,095 | $816 | 11 mi |
| Templeton | city | 351 | $75,000 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Halbur | city | 284 | $84,250 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Dedham | city | 280 | $100,417 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Lidderdale | city | 177 | $60,625 | $750 | 7 mi |
| Willey | city | 94 | $66,500 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Lanesboro | city | 78 | $44,167 | $475 | 13 mi |
| Ralston | city | 61 | $62,917 | n/a | 12 mi |
The counties around Carroll County
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Carroll County's, from 25 to 31 miles away. Guthrie County leads the group on income ($77,711), Audubon County trails ($58,229), and Carroll County out-earns 4 of the six.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll County | - | $72,930 | $731/mo | 77% |
| Greene County, IA | 25 mi | $63,409 | $781/mo | 76% |
| Audubon County, IA | 25 mi | $58,229 | $759/mo | 76% |
| Calhoun County, IA | 27 mi | $64,964 | $723/mo | 81% |
| Crawford County, IA | 27 mi | $67,027 | $743/mo | 76% |
| Sac County, IA | 27 mi | $73,838 | $722/mo | 78% |
| Guthrie County, IA | 31 mi | $77,711 | $845/mo | 84% |
Carroll County households compared
Bachelor's degree or higher: 24% of Carroll County adults. Uninsured, Carroll County: 2.8%; Iowa: 5.0%.
| Measure | Carroll County | Gap to Iowa | Gap to typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's or higher | 24.0% | -7.4 pts | +1.8 pts |
| Work from home | 7.3% | -4.0 pts | -1.4 pts |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | -3.1 pts | -5.2 pts |
| Median age | 41.1 | +2.5 yrs | -0.4 yrs |
| No health insurance | 2.8% | -2.2 pts | -5.0 pts |
| No high school diploma | 4.8% | -1.9 pts | n/a |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 1.8% | -1.8 pts | -2.6 pts |
| No vehicle | 4.9% | -0.6 pts | -0.6 pts |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 62.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 24.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 6.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 1.7% |
| 60+ min | 4.4% |
Room for a loan payment in Carroll County
Carroll County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $72,930 a year is $6,078 of gross monthly income
- Median rent: $731, or 12 cents of every gross dollar
- At 35%, room after rent is $1,396 a month
- Under a 45% cap, $2,735 total minus rent leaves $2,004
These are gross figures; take-home pay in Carroll County will be lower after taxes and deductions.
What the numbers mean for Carroll County borrowers
A few patterns in the Carroll County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
Checklist for Carroll County applicants
Quick steps for Carroll County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Licensing and complaints for Carroll County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Carroll County, check the Iowa Division of Banking. Nationally, Carroll County residents can file with the CFPB. The Iowa guide covers state rules in more detail.
More guides for Carroll County
Statewide:
Frequently asked questions
Where does Carroll County rank on income in Iowa?
38th of 99, with a median of $72,930. The state median is $75,059.
Can a Carroll County renter afford a loan payment?
At the $731 median rent and $6,078 median monthly income, rent alone uses 12%; add other debts before a new payment.
Can Carroll County owners borrow against a $176,000 home?
Many can, through a home equity loan or line. It is secured by the house, so compare it with an unsecured personal loan before choosing.
What are the biggest places in Carroll County?
By population: Carroll, Manning, Coon Rapids, Glidden, Arcadia. The county has 13 Census places in all.
Will a Carroll County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Iowa as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.