Counties with the highest unemployment in Iowa

The first jobs report fully under the new Trump administration showed a softening job market, with the unemployment rate ticking up to 4.1% in February, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released March 7.

Job growth increased but fell below expectations, one of several possible fissures appearing in the once rock-solid labor market. Businesses are pulling back on hiring as the economic forecast and policy outlook grow murkier due to volatile trade policies and large cuts to the federal workforce.

Federal government employment fell by 10,000 in February, pushing up total cuts to the federal workforce. In the first two months of 2025, 62,530 federal workers were let go. However, the most recent cuts, including the Department of Education's workforce getting slashed by nearly half, have not yet appeared in official jobs data. Retail employment also fell by 6,000.

The broader unemployment index, known as the U-6, which also includes laborers working part-time because they can't find full-time work, and those who want to work but have given up searching, rose to 8%, its highest since October 2021.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Iowa, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in January 2025, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Key takeaways: Jobs report shows softening labor market

February's job growth of 151,000 fell below economists' expected gains of 160,000, showing the labor market is cooling faster than predicted. Experts say many companies weighing policy changes and economic uncertainty are deciding it's safer to hold off on hiring decisions for now.

"If you were a company and you were saying, 'I'm looking to expand, or I'm looking to hire,' you would have investors in those companies saying, 'Are you crazy?'" Ron Hetrick, senior labor economist at Lightcast, told Marketplace.

Consumer spending fell in January for the first time in two years, which may have led to layoffs or hiring slowdowns, Nela Richardson, ADP's chief economist, told NBC News.

The big story: From bold promises to frozen labor market

After an initial market pop following Trump's electoral win, indexes have slumped to below when he took office, and uncertainty about the future of the markets is a common theme. Are threatened tariffs in place, delayed, reversed, or ramped up? Has that federal worker been fired or given their job back? Are those federal dollars slashed or reinstated? It's a question mark that changes daily.

Research shows that uncertainty invites lower investment, slows employment, and increases financial market volatility. The word "uncertain" showed up 47 times in the March edition of the Beige Book, the Federal Reserve's snapshot of reports from across the nation, compared to 17 times in the previous report from January.

The new administration's blitz of executive orders and trade policy waffling have cast a dense fog over the short-term economic outlook. One thing that is known? Uncertainty isn't good for business planning, job creation, or hiring.

In a March 12 interview with Semafor, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon noted that average consumers likely don't change "what they're going to do because they read about tariffs," but "companies might."

"Uncertainty is not a good thing," Dimon added.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Iowa.

48. Monona County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,424 people (167 unemployed)

48. Humboldt County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,940 people (189 unemployed)

48. Sac County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: +1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,957 people (190 unemployed)

45. Cedar County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,152 people (397 unemployed)

45. Van Buren County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,399 people (132 unemployed)

45. Woodbury County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 55,857 people (2,190 unemployed)

37. Benton County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,657 people (542 unemployed)

37. Fremont County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,368 people (134 unemployed)

37. Grundy County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,726 people (272 unemployed)

37. Franklin County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,796 people (190 unemployed)

37. Polk County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 283,206 people (11,346 unemployed)

37. Pottawattamie County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 47,191 people (1,907 unemployed)

37. Lucas County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,102 people (166 unemployed)

37. Union County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,025 people (238 unemployed)

31. Henry County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: +1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,403 people (345 unemployed)

31. Cass County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: +1.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,762 people (274 unemployed)

31. Linn County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 121,785 people (4,988 unemployed)

31. Dubuque County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 53,862 people (2,222 unemployed)

31. Keokuk County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,250 people (214 unemployed)

31. Jasper County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,461 people (805 unemployed)

27. Emmet County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: +1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,420 people (187 unemployed)

27. Buchanan County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: +1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,013 people (464 unemployed)

27. Floyd County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,877 people (329 unemployed)

27. Monroe County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,852 people (163 unemployed)

24. Wapello County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,363 people (740 unemployed)

24. Howard County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,326 people (231 unemployed)

24. Madison County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,709 people (418 unemployed)

23. Delaware County

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +1.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,105 people (443 unemployed)

18. Appanoose County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,149 people (231 unemployed)

18. Lee County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,607 people (656 unemployed)

18. Muscatine County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,719 people (922 unemployed)

18. Louisa County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,545 people (251 unemployed)

18. Dickinson County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +1.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,427 people (424 unemployed)

14. Black Hawk County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 68,229 people (3,131 unemployed)

14. Poweshiek County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +2.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,114 people (415 unemployed)

14. Scott County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 89,907 people (4,107 unemployed)

14. Guthrie County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,906 people (270 unemployed)

11. Fayette County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +1.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,692 people (502 unemployed)

11. Iowa County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +2.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,889 people (421 unemployed)

11. Winneshiek County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +2.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,776 people (557 unemployed)

10. Clinton County

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,693 people (1,056 unemployed)

7. Butler County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: +2.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,408 people (383 unemployed)

7. Jones County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: +1.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,537 people (545 unemployed)

7. Jackson County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: +1.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,003 people (521 unemployed)

6. Des Moines County

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: +1.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,332 people (968 unemployed)

5. Clayton County

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: +2.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,038 people (535 unemployed)

4. Crawford County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,474 people (512 unemployed)

3. Allamakee County

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
--- 1-month change: +2.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,484 people (464 unemployed)

2. Tama County

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: +2.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,631 people (583 unemployed)

1. Marshall County

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.8%
--- 1-month change: +2.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,256 people (1,779 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.