Bellcrest Lending Group, a small-business funding service in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, gathers Census figures for Fond du Lac County and the city's main ZIP Code: employer and nonemployer counts, sector mix, self-employment and permits. It adds the zoning, permit and assessor checks worth making before funding a new location or a remodel, with links to the city and county websites.
At a glance
- Employers countywide, Fond du Lac County, WI
2,227 establishments (CBP 2023)
- ZIP 54935 employers
947 establishments (ZBP 2023)
- Without paid employees
5,832 businesses in the county (NES 2024)
- Self-employment rate, City of Fond du Lac, WI
5.4% of working residents (plus or minus 1.3 points, ACS 2020-2024)
Fond du Lac County, WI Business Numbers in Brief
County Business Patterns counted 2,227 employer establishments in Fond du Lac County, WI in 2023, with 42,508 paid employees and $2.36 billion in annual payroll. By establishment count the leading sectors were retail trade (298), construction (272), other services such as repair and personal care (272), health care and social assistance (246) and accommodation and food services (237). Manufacturing had fewer establishments, 140, but the largest payroll, $644.7 million across 10,124 employees.
Nonemployer Statistics, a separate program, counted 5,832 businesses without paid employees in the county in 2024. Real estate and rental and leasing (730), other services (698), retail trade (656) and construction (654) had the most. These counts are not added to the employer figures, because the programs measure different businesses.
What ZIP 54935 Shows About the City of Fond du Lac, WI
ZIP 54935, where 83.1% of the ZIP's land lies inside the city (2020 ZCTA-place relationship file) but which is not the same as the city limits, had 947 employer establishments in 2023 with 20,574 paid employees and $1.14 billion in payroll. Of those establishments, 43.1% had fewer than five employees (ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023). Retail trade (145), health care (140), other services (125) and accommodation and food services (119) had the most.
In the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, 5.4% of employed residents of the City of Fond du Lac, WI were self-employed (margin of error 1.3 points): 1.8% in their own incorporated business and 3.6% in an unincorporated one. The county figure was 8.0%, and the Wisconsin figure 8.5%.
City of Fond du Lac, WI zoning map for a new business location
Before signing a lease or buying a building in the city, check that the zoning district allows your use. The zoning map is published by the city; start at the City of Fond du Lac website (fdl.wi.gov) and look for the planning or community development pages. A use that is not allowed outright may need a conditional approval, which adds time a funding request should account for.
A partner funding a build-out may ask whether the use is permitted at the address. Having the answer in writing, from the city, settles the question early. The zoning and permits guide walks through the full set of checks.
Fond du Lac, WI building permits for a new business location
Remodels, signs, electrical work and changes of use can each need a permit. Ask the city which permits apply before getting contractor quotes, so the quotes include permit costs and the schedule includes inspection time. A funding request built on a quote that ignores permits can come up short.
Fond du Lac, WI building department when you plan a remodel
For properties inside the city limits, start with the city's building inspection pages. Properties in a surrounding town or village fall under that municipality or the county, so confirm which office covers the parcel first; the Fond du Lac County website (fdlco.wi.gov) lists county departments.
When planning a remodel, ask the office about plan review, the inspections required, and whether occupancy can start before final sign-off. Each answer affects when the business can open and start repaying.
Fond du Lac County, WI assessor's office and what it means for a build-out
Assessors value property for taxes. For a build-out, the assessed value of the building and any personal property return for fixtures and equipment matter, because they feed the property tax bill the business or landlord will pay. Ask a landlord how property taxes are passed through in the lease.
Fond du Lac County, WI assessor data: where to look it up
Assessment records, parcel numbers and ownership details can be looked up through the county or the municipality that assesses the parcel. Start at the Fond du Lac County website (fdlco.wi.gov) for county land records and at the City of Fond du Lac website (fdl.wi.gov) for the city's assessment pages.
Pull the parcel record for any building you plan to buy or lease. It shows the owner of record, which should match the seller or landlord, and the assessed value, which a partner may compare with the price.
Fond du Lac, WI assessor for a new business location
For a new business location inside the city, the city assessor's records show the current assessed value of the land and improvements. A large gap between the asking price and the assessed value is worth asking about before a funding request, because a partner lending against the property will order its own valuation.
For leased space, ask the landlord for the property tax amount and how it is billed to tenants.
Bellcrest Lending Group on S Military Road, Fond du Lac, WI
Bellcrest Lending Group, 848 S Military Road, Fond du Lac, WI 54935. Phone: (920) 274-3387.
Requests can be sent by phone or through the request form. See industry funding notes, areas served and the Wisconsin guide, or contact details for directions.
Firms served from Fond du Lac, WI
Funding questions are welcome from Fond du Lac, WI owners in nearly every field, with contractors and construction trades, restaurants and food service, medical and dental practices and retailers and wholesalers that carry stock among them. Each partner looks at the full picture before deciding anything.
Papers before a Fond du Lac, WI call
- Business bank statements for each of the last three to six months
- The latest business tax return, plus personal returns if a partner asks
- A current profit and loss statement together with a balance sheet
- A driver's license, state ID or passport for each owner and co-owner
- State filing records for the company, with the EIN on hand
- For equipment requests, the seller's quote showing make, model and price
Partners set their own document lists, so read this as a starting point.
Where it goes after a request from Fond du Lac, WI
- Start with a call to (920) 274-3387 or send the short request form with the purpose of the funds.
- The request is then sent on to partners that fund the use you named.
- A partner reviews the request and makes its own decision.
- Before you sign anything, weigh the full cost and the terms, then decide for yourself.
Employers in Fond du Lac, WI can complete each step remotely, by phone or online.
By Bellcrest Lending Group ยท Updated