Small-town market profile · Iowa
Carroll, IA area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Carroll area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 20,303
- −2.0% since 2020
- Households
- 8,801
- Median household income
- $72,930
- +23.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $176,000
- Jobs located here
- 10,716
- Highest market score
- 63
- Fast food and sandwich shops, #148 of 537 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Carroll area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Carroll area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 20,303 people live in the Carroll area, in 8,801 households. Population estimates show the Carroll area declined 2.0% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Carroll area is $72,930 a year, 10% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 23.2% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Carroll area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 113, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (65).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Carroll area are for fast food and sandwich shops (63), convenience stores (60) and pizza places (51). The Carroll area ranks #148 of 537 scored small-town markets for fast food and sandwich shops.
The Carroll area is made up of one county, Carroll County. For its number of households, the Carroll area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for car washes and detailers (3 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate businesses (47% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Carroll area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Carroll area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 63 | #148 of 537 | 9 | 10.2 | $3.7M | 121 | 16 |
| Convenience stores | 60 | #174 of 529 | 7 | 8.0 | $7.5M | 95 | Under 3 |
| Pizza | 51 | #243 of 520 | 8 | 9.1 | $4.1M | 81 | 16 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 49 | #244 of 481 | 7 | 8.0 | $1.5M | 90 | 6 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 49 | #293 of 538 | 22 | 25.0 | $2.4M | 70 | 5 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 47 | #294 of 538 | 56 | 63.6 | $215K | 141 | 40 |
| Nail salons | 45 | #233 of 387 | 5 | 5.7 | $1.7M | 102 | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 45 | #301 of 526 | 8 | 9.1 | $1.5M | 153 | 12 |
| Pet businesses | 45 | #333 of 527 | 12 | 13.6 | $593K | 68 | 4 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 45 | #338 of 535 | 13 | 14.8 | $572K | 86 | 3 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 44 | #336 of 538 | 96 | 109.1 | $345K | 93 | 39 |
| Barbershops | 43 | #234 of 377 | 5 | 5.7 | $1.7M | 90 | Under 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 42 | #348 of 538 | 52 | 59.1 | $637K | 96 | 17 |
| Real estate | 42 | #361 of 536 | 18 | 20.5 | Index only | 155 | 10 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 41 | #265 of 399 | 5 | 5.7 | $2.1M | 72 | 6 |
| Physical therapy | 41 | #270 of 400 | 5 | 5.7 | $2.4M | 100 | 5 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 38 | #414 of 533 | 16 | 18.2 | Index only | 139 | 6 |
| Auto repair shops | 37 | #398 of 538 | 23 | 26.1 | $414K | 93 | 16 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 35 | #314 of 400 | 5 | 5.7 | $2.4M | 77 | 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 35 | #382 of 476 | 6 | 6.8 | $3.9M | 82 | 12 |
| Home repair trades | 35 | #431 of 526 | 11 | 12.5 | $2.1M | 88 | 25 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 33 | #447 of 529 | 12 | 13.6 | $2.8M | 75 | 6 |
| Gyms | 32 | #430 of 506 | 10 | 11.4 | $744K | 57 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 31 | #469 of 538 | 24 | 27.3 | $354K | 82 | 7 |
| Funeral homes | 30 | #314 of 365 | 5 | 5.7 | $301K | 44 | 6 |
| Grocery stores | 30 | #424 of 506 | 9 | 10.2 | $5.8M | 62 | 5 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 29 | #449 of 536 | 27 | 30.7 | $622K | 71 | 11 |
| Spas and skin care | 29 | #460 of 504 | 14 | 15.9 | $606K | 69 | Under 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 27 | #466 of 536 | 23 | 26.1 | $731K | 58 | 11 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 27 | #501 of 538 | 49 | 55.7 | $173K | 81 | 10 |
| Auto repair and car care | 25 | #486 of 538 | 48 | 54.5 | $198K | 74 | 22 |
| Veterinarians | 23 | #369 of 398 | 6 | 6.8 | $1.2M | 44 | 4 |
| Child care and preschools | 23 | #413 of 454 | 7 | 8.0 | $478K | 48 | 9 |
| Gas stations | 21 | #495 of 536 | 18 | 20.5 | $1.3M | 57 | 17 |
| Chiropractors | 20 | #421 of 426 | 13 | 14.8 | $928K | 39 | 9 |
| Car washes and detailing | 17 | #422 of 441 | 10 | 11.4 | $952K | 38 | 5 |
| Insurance agencies | 9 | #531 of 537 | 19 | 21.6 | $777K | 62 | 27 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 4.5 | $8.3M | 200 | 6 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.4 | $3.2M | 103 | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.4 | $2.4M | 93 | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.4 | $4M | 226 | 11 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.4 | $7.8M | 92 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.4 | $3.2M | 127 | Under 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.3 | $11.7M | Too few | 13 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.3 | $5.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.3 | $3.7M | Too few | 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $16.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $16.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $7.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | Index only | Too few | 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $7.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Carroll area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $9.5M | $1,081 | 113 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $24.3M | $2,756 | 106 |
| Food away from home | $33.1M | $3,763 | 92 |
| Groceries | $52.2M | $5,937 | 94 |
| Personal care products and services | $8.5M | $964 | 96 |
| Child care and other personal services | $3.3M | $380 | 65 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $7.4M | $846 | 86 |
| Medical and dental services | $12.1M | $1,371 | 106 |
| Pets | $7.1M | $808 | 89 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $16.8M | $1,910 | 93 |
| Vehicle insurance | $14.8M | $1,678 | 86 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $23.4M | $2,659 | 88 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $10.6M | $1,201 | 85 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $121M | $13,748 | 83 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Carroll area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 20,303−2.0% since 2020
- Households
- 8,801
- Median age
- 41.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 77%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 570 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 36
- Median household income
- $72,930+23.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $93,964
- Median home value
- $176,000
- Jobs located here
- 10,716
- Daytime population
- 20,571Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Carroll area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Carroll area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Carroll area 1
- Carroll County, IA20,594 people
Other markets based in Iowa 12
- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area731,120 people
- Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area381,503 people
- Cedar Rapids, IA metro area276,624 people
- Iowa City, IA metro area179,200 people
- Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area168,637 people
- Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metro area144,682 people
- Ames, IA metro area127,134 people
- Dubuque, IA metro area99,030 people
- Mason City, IA area49,982 people
- Clinton, IA area46,268 people
- Burlington, IA-IL area44,680 people
- Muscatine, IA area42,559 people
Questions
How fast is the Carroll, IA area growing?
Population estimates put the Carroll area at 20,303 people in 2025, down 2.0% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 8,801 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 23.2%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Carroll, IA area spend?
Households in the Carroll area spend about $121M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $52.2M on groceries and $33.1M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Carroll area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 113, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (65).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Carroll, IA area?
Of the business types scored in the Carroll area, fast food and sandwich shops (63), convenience stores (60) and pizza places (51) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For fast food and sandwich shops, that ranks #148 of 537 scored small-town markets.
How does the Carroll, IA area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Carroll area is $72,930, 10% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 2.0% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $176,000, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for car washes and detailers (3 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate businesses (47% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 37 of the 56 business types have a score in the Carroll area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Carroll area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Carroll area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Carroll area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.