Through discussions with area employers, Marion County Development identified that housing continues to be one of the greatest needs to advance the area's economy.  In 2026, Marion County Development contracted a housing assessment which helped spur much of the development that has came on board over the past five years.

The demand for additional housing remains.  Marion County Development contracted with Maxfield Research & Consulting to update the demand study to provide insights and direction for future housing development.  The study examined needs for Senior, Rental and For-Sale housing in each of 5 submarkets within Marion County from 2024 to 2035.  

This project was made possible through the support of sponsors: Platinum:  ATI Group, Marion County Development, PACE Alliance, Pella Corporation and Weiler, Gold:  MidAmerican Energy, Silver: City of Pleasantville and Pella Rural Electric Cooperative, Bronze:  Marion County Bank, Peoples Bank and Precision, Inc., Friend:  Van Maanen, Sietstra, Meyer & Nikkel.  A special thank you to the Marion County Assessor's Department, Marion County GIS, Marion County Zoning, city zoning offices, businesses, and Marion County Board of Supervisors for their assistance.
 

Click here to view the report.