Crestford Lending, a small-business funding broker in Waterloo, Iowa, works with Independence owners in Buchanan County by phone and online. ZIP 50644 had 271 employer establishments in 2023 (Census ZBP), 49.8 percent with fewer than five employees. Lending partners, not Crestford Lending, rule on each file and price it.
| County | Buchanan County, IA |
|---|---|
| ZIP 50644 employers | 271 payroll employers, 2023 (Census ZBP) |
| Under five employees | 49.8 percent of the ZIP's employers |
| ZIP 50644 employees | 4,040 on payrolls in March 2023 |
| ZIP payroll | About $186.0 million (2023) |
| ZIP 50644 land inside Independence, IA | 4.1% |
Independence, IA is in Buchanan County, Iowa
Independence lies outside Black Hawk County, so the Black Hawk County figures elsewhere on this site do not describe it. This page uses ZIP 50644 instead. Independence covers only about 4.1 percent of that ZIP's land, so the counts include businesses in the surrounding countryside and small places nearby (2020 ZCTA-place relationship file).
What ZIP 50644 counted in 2023
ZIP 50644 held 271 employer establishments in 2023, with 4,040 employees and about $186.0 million in annual payroll. Close to half, 49.8 percent, employed four or fewer people (U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023).
| Sector | Establishments | Under 5 employees |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 40 | 27.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 34 | 52.9% |
| Construction | 27 | 74.1% |
| Other services | 26 | 61.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 25 | 40.0% |
| Manufacturing | 20 | 20.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023.
Small contractors around Independence, IA
Twenty of the 27 construction employer establishments in ZIP 50644 had fewer than five employees. Crews that size often own one or two key machines and a trailer, and a breakdown or a large materials order can stall work. Equipment financing secured by the machine, or a small revolving line for materials, are the routes those owners usually ask about first.
An estimated 8.0 percent of employed Independence residents were self-employed (margin of error 3.5; American Community Survey 2020-2024), a figure too uncertain to compare closely with the county or the state.
Shops and clinics in ZIP 50644
Retail trade and health care together account for 74 of the ZIP's 271 employer establishments. Retailers there face the same stock questions as larger towns at a smaller scale, and more than half of the health care establishments had fewer than five employees, the size of many independent clinics and therapy practices.
Manufacturing and payroll in ZIP 50644
Twenty manufacturing employer establishments were counted in ZIP 50644 in 2023, and only one in five had fewer than five employees (Census ZBP 2023). Manufacturing is not one of the sectors our partners focus on, but those employers shape the local economy that shops, contractors and clinics serve. The ZIP's payroll of about $186.0 million across 4,040 employees gives a sense of that scale.
For a small business in Independence, the practical takeaway is that customers, suppliers and staff may all have ties to larger employers in the area. When a partner asks where repayment comes from, a list of your main customers helps.
Preparing a request from Buchanan County, IA
Owners outside the office county do everything by phone and online, so the file has to speak for itself. Business bank statements, a short note on the purpose, and quotes or contracts for what the money buys cover most first conversations. Check that the entity record and the bank account carry the same name before sending anything.
From Independence, IA to W 4th St
Owners in Independence reach Crestford Lending at (319) 340-8656 or online; the office is 315 W 4th St, Waterloo, IA 50701. Nearby Cedar Valley towns are listed on the areas page, and the W 4th St city overview covers the office side.
Independence, IA businesses we help
Crestford Lending works with Independence, IA businesses in four sectors our partners have confirmed: contractors and construction trades, restaurants and food service, medical and dental practices and retailers and wholesalers that carry stock. Being in one of them does not decide the outcome; the partner does.
Paperwork partners commonly ask for
- Recent business bank statements (partners often ask for three to six months)
- Your most recent business tax return
- Current financial statements: profit and loss plus a balance sheet
- Government-issued ID for each owner
- Your articles of organization or incorporation and the EIN letter
- A simple schedule of current business debt and monthly payments
Each lending partner sets its own list, so treat this as a starting point.
From first call to a partner's decision
- It starts with a call to (319) 340-8656 or the short contact form. On the phone we cover the purpose of the funds, time in business and approximate monthly revenue.
- We explain which funding types fit that use and what partners usually need to see. Nothing is submitted without your go-ahead.
- With your permission, we take the request to lending partners that offer that kind of funding. Each partner reviews it and makes its own credit decision.
- If a partner makes an offer, you compare the total cost, payment schedule and terms. You are never obligated to accept.
Crestford Lending is based at 315 W 4th St, Waterloo, IA 50701.
By Crestford Lending · Updated
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