RANK #262 / 996 · POP 229,308 · IA
PROJECTED GROWTH: +1.7%
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.
Well below national median
Below-average climate & terrain
Above national median (13x)
Housing looks undervalued at 2.5x — home prices are low relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
| 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 996 counties.
Linn County has a Boom Town Index score of 74/100, ranking #262 among 996 U.S. counties. With job growth at -0.7% and a median household income of $75,457, it's an above-average county on economic indicators.
The median home value in Linn County is $188,800 with median rent at $878/month. The income-to-home-value ratio is 0.3997, which is more affordable than the national average.
Population growth: +0.3% year-over-year. Job growth: -0.7%. Home values changed +3.0% in the past 12 months.
Yes — 3.12% of Linn County's population moved from another state, which is above the national average and indicates strong in-migration.