Commercial Real Estate Market in Marion, IA
Updated monthly: sale, lease, property records, location trend, and more… · Last update: August 31
186 active listings and 944 off-market properties in Marion, IA. Commercial property asks $188/SF to buy and $13.62/SF/Yr to lease.
Market Trends
Marion, IA spans 74.3 square miles in Linn County, Iowa. Figures below refresh monthly; last updated 31 August 2026.
Office
Office space in Marion, IA asks $136/SF to buy. Vacancy runs 21.3% across the Midwest region in 2025, up from 13.7% in 2019.
Average Sale Price $/SF
Listings
Vacancy Rate % in Midwest region
Retail
Retail space in Marion, IA asks $152/SF to buy. Vacancy runs 6.3% across the Midwest region in 2025, down from 8% in 2020.
Average Sale Price $/SF
Listings
Vacancy Rate % in Midwest region
Industrial
Industrial vacancy in Marion, IA runs 4.9% across the Midwest region in 2025, up from 4.4% in 2019. Nearly 1.6x the 2022 low of 3.1%.
Vacancy Rate % in Midwest region
Multifamily
Multifamily space in Marion, IA asks $115/SF to buy. Vacancy runs 8% across the Midwest region in 2025, up from 6.5% in 2022.
Average Sale Price $/SF
Listings
Vacancy Rate % in Midwest region
Zoning & Land Use
Land Use Mix share of zoned land by category
- Residential 49.2%
- Commercial 17.6%
- Open space 11.1%
- Civic 7.5%
- Industrial 7.2%
- Planned_development 6.9%
Largest Zones share of zoned land by district
Suburban Medium Density Single Family Residential
Recreation And Open Space
Agricultural Holding
Suburban Medium Density Single Family Residential
Public Institutional
Marion, IA zones 11,566 acres across 34 districts. Commercial zoning covers 17.6% of zoned land, residential 49.2%, open space 11.1% and industrial 7.2%. The largest single district is Suburban Medium Density Single Family Residential at 21.4%. For commercial buyers the practical constraint is that only 24.8% of land carries a commercial or industrial designation.
Suburban Medium Density Single Family Residential (SR-2)
SR-2 Suburban Medium-Density Single-Family Residential District. The SR-2 Suburban Medium-Density Single-Family Residential District is intended and designed for medium-density one-unit areas free from other uses except those which are both compatible with and convenient to the residents of such a district. (4)
Market overview
Demographics & Economy
Marion, IA has 43,130 residents in 18,153 households. Density runs 580 people per square mile. Median household income here is $87,463 and median gross rent $963 a month.
43,130
Population
18,153
Households
2.4
Avg Household Size
39
Median Age
39%
College-Educated
97%
High-School Grad
74.3 sq mi
ZIP Area
580
Density / Sq Mi
$87,463
Median Household Income
$50,234
Median Earnings
$963
Median Rent
$232,900
Median Home Value
Tools
Lease vs Buy Breakeven
At $13.62/SF/Yr lease vs $188/SF buy → buying wins if held > 2.9 years.
At a 7.2% gross asking yield the payback reads short relative to leasing. Assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% a year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost, 2% closing plus 5% selling costs, and a 3% annual rent escalator.
Nearby Markets
| Market | Average Sale Price, $/SF | Average Lease Price, $/SF/Yr |
|---|---|---|
| Robins | — | — |
| Hiawatha | — | $10.07 |
| Cedar Rapids | — | $12.93 |
| Bertram | — | — |
Commercial property in Marion, IA asks $188/SF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average price per square foot for commercial property in Marion?
Commercial property in Marion, IA asks an average of $188 per square foot. Retail carries the highest asking price at $152/SF.
How much does it cost to lease commercial space in Marion?
Asking lease rates in Marion, IA average $13.62 per square foot per year.
Is it cheaper to lease or buy commercial space in Marion?
Buying beats leasing in Marion, IA if the property is held longer than 2.9 years, comparing $13.62/SF/Yr asking rent with $188/SF asking price. The model assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% of value per year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost on the cash and a 3% annual rent escalator.
What zoning applies to commercial property in Marion?
Marion, IA zones 11,566 acres across 34 districts, of which 17.6% is commercial and 7.2% industrial. The largest single district is Suburban Medium Density Single Family Residential at 21.4% of zoned land. SR-2 Suburban Medium-Density Single-Family Residential District. The SR-2 Suburban Medium-Density Single-Family Residential District is intended and designed for medium-density one-unit areas free from other uses except those which are both compatible with and convenient to the residents of such a district. (4) Residential zoning covers 49.2% and open space 11.1%.
Where does Realmo's Marion market data come from?
Realmo compiles Marion, IA figures from 5 recent recorded sales, 80 active sale listings, 106 active lease listings, 944 tracked off-market properties, the current Marion zoning release. Sale and lease figures refresh monthly; vacancy annually. Last updated 31 August 2026.
Methodology & data sources
- Asking prices and averages
- Computed from 80 active for-sale and 106 active for-lease listings in Marion, IA. These are ASKING figures from live listings, not closed-transaction prices, and a segment carried by a handful of listings reads as indicative rather than an average.
- Vacancy rates
- Published per-sector market series, taken at the metro level where one exists and otherwise at the Census-region level — a chart reading "in <region> region" is a regional number, not this city's.
- Zoning and land use
- The current municipal zoning release: 11,566 zoned acres across 34 districts. Shares are of zoned land, so parcels the release leaves unclassified are excluded from the mix.
- Refresh
- The monthly aggregates close at the end of the previous month, so 31 August 2026 — not today — is the honest last update.
- Known limitations
- office vacancy is reported at Midwest region level, retail vacancy is reported at Midwest region level and industrial vacancy is reported at Midwest region level.
- Coverage
- Metrics below the 10-observation threshold fall back one geographic level. The geography used is named on each figure.
Compiled by the Realmo Data team · reviewed 31 August 2026 · report a data issue
