RANK #320 / 1001 NAT · #1 / 11 IA · POP 230,004
1YR FORECAST: +2.4%
5YR OUTLOOK: +31%
Linn County, Iowa, is distinguished by Cedar Rapids, its largest city and county seat, known as the "City of Five Seasons" to symbolize time for enjoying life. Located in east-central Iowa, Linn County is about 25 miles northwest of Iowa City. The community offers a blend of urban amenities and rural landscapes, with 18 incorporated cities and a significant amount of farmland. Commuting within the county is facilitated by a network of paved and hard-surfaced roads, though rural areas also have rock and mud roads. Outdoor recreation is accessible, with over 100 miles of trails and numerous parks like Pinicon Ridge Park and Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area, offering opportunities for hiking, biking, boating, and fishing.
Life in Linn County appeals to families and young professionals, with public schools generally performing above average. The economy, historically rooted in agriculture and food production, has diversified to include manufacturing, aerospace, biosciences, and information technology. Major investment is occurring in clean energy development, particularly solar, and the county is also seeing growth in data centers. Efforts are underway to balance agricultural land use with these new developments, ensuring community benefit. The county also focuses on quality-of-life investments and support for early intervention and prevention services.
Linn County is one of 145 U.S. counties in this market profile — weaker than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of +2.8% runs below the profile's typical +4.9%.
See all 145 Heartland Steady Growth counties →Below national median (11.3x)
Below-average climate & terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing is fairly valued at 5.6x relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Google Data Center Campus (Palo)
Google
|
$1,000M | Under Construction |
|
Duane Arnold Energy Center Restart
NextEra Energy (with Google as primary power purchaser)
|
$500M | Planned |
|
Duane Arnold Solar IV with Battery Storage
NextEra Energy Resources
|
$220M | Proposed |
|
Pleasant Creek Solar (formerly Duane Arnold Solar I & II)
Alliant Energy (developed by NextEra Energy Resources)
|
$200M | Operating |
|
Morgan Valley Energy Center (Natural Gas Plant)
Alliant Energy
|
$200M | Proposed |
|
Coggon Solar
Unknown (approved in 2021)
|
$100M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 68/100, Linn County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. and median household income stands at $77,649 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in IA.
By national standards, Linn County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $214,300, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.36 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $945/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Population and employment in Linn County are both close to flat — population +0.2% YoY and jobs -0.4%. Home values shifted +2.8% over the past 12 months. A steady-state county, neither expanding quickly nor shrinking.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.09% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Linn County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.