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Scott County, IA: population growth, jobs and income

Scott County gained 419 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.2%).

Scott County had an estimated 175,259 residents in 2025, up 0.4% (660 more people) since 2020. That is slower than Iowa as a whole (+1.5%), and the 29th fastest growth of 99 counties in Iowa.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Scott County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Scott County, ranked against Iowa and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$1,005/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes6.9%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months3372025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 14 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 86,426 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +4.4% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 4.3% in 2025, 1.1 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 372 new homes in 2025, or 2.1 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $78,277 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +22.5% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 1,749th.

Part of the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area.

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Scott County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
2025175,259+419
2024174,840+655
2023174,185+326
2022173,859−406
2021174,265−334
2020174,599–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Scott County

Scott County grew by 660 people since 2020 even though 1,196 more residents moved to other U.S. counties than came from them: births outnumbered deaths by 323, and net international migration added 1,507.

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths+141+323
International migrationfrom and to other countries+277+1,507
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−14−1,196
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+15+26
Total change+419+660

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn IowaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth29th of 991,749th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents44th of 991,933rd of 3,108
Private-sector job growth27th of 991,294th of 3,092
Median household income16th of 99653rd of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate94th of 991,898th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents36th of 991,484th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Scott County, IA as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Rock Island County and Clinton County reports too, $149 for all 3.

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Neighbouring counties

Scott County grew faster than all 4 of its neighbouring counties (+0.4%, 2020–25).

Only Cedar County had a higher median household income (2020–24) among its 4 neighbouring counties; Scott County's was $78,277.

Scott County, IA and its 4 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Scott County, IA This county175,259+0.4%−0.12.1$78,277
Clinton County, IA46,002−0.9%2.41.8$66,981
Rock Island County, IL141,869−1.7%−3.01.3$67,159
Muscatine County, IA41,853−3.0%−7.72.8$69,396
Cedar County, IA18,359−0.7%4.73.6$80,602

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 99 Iowa counties · Every state

Questions

Is Scott County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 0.4% between 2020 and 2025, about 660 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Iowa as a whole changed +1.5% over the same years. That ranks 29th of 99 counties in Iowa for population growth.

How many people moved to Scott County?

On net, none in 2025: about 14 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Scott County?

It averaged 4.3% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Scott County?

About 175,259 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Scott County?

Private employers there had 86,426 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +4.4% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Iowa

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Iowa county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Scott County data alerts

Email me when Scott County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Scott County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.