Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Iowa

Written by:
November 15, 2022
Robert Thall // Wikimedia Commons

Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Iowa

Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.

As of October of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.2% higher than in September. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2.0% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in Illinois and 4.7% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.

To that end, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in Iowa using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.

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Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#50. Worth County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 3,970 (84 unemployed)
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Ann Sullivan-Larson // Wikimedia Commons

#49. Wright County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 6,684 (143 unemployed)
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Scott Romine // Wikimedia Commons

#48. Harrison County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 7,161 (157 unemployed)
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en:User:Cburnett // Wikimedia Commons

#47. Jefferson County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 10,139 (218 unemployed)
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en:User:Cburnett // Wikimedia Commons

#46. Monroe County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 3,960 (88 unemployed)

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Judd Furlong // Wikimedia Commons

#45. Montgomery County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 4,875 (107 unemployed)
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Smallbones // Wikimedia Commons

#44. Poweshiek County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 10,980 (238 unemployed)
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Bill Whittaker // Wikimedia Commons

#43. Tama County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 9,087 (202 unemployed)
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Dan Breyfogle // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Cerro Gordo County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 22,344 (512 unemployed)
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Scott Romine // Wikimedia Commons

#41. Clay County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 8,600 (195 unemployed)

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Phinn // Wikimedia Commons

#40. Emmet County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 4,916 (111 unemployed)
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Woodard // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Fayette County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 10,108 (234 unemployed)
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Jim Roberts // Wikimedia Commons

#38. Floyd County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 8,118 (188 unemployed)
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Nst101 // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Guthrie County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 5,519 (127 unemployed)
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Ann Sullivan-Larson // Wikimedia Commons

#36. Hardin County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 7,840 (182 unemployed)

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JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons

#35. Monona County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 4,363 (102 unemployed)
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Jim Roberts // Wikimedia Commons

#34. Page County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 6,307 (145 unemployed)
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Gvetterick // Wikimedia Commons

#33. Union County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 6,135 (141 unemployed)
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Sector001 // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Van Buren County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 3,667 (86 unemployed)
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Tony Webster // Wikicommons

#31. Woodbury County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 55,811 (1,279 unemployed)

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Jim Roberts // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Appanoose County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 5,902 (141 unemployed)
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Kevin Schuchmann // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Buchanan County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 11,241 (266 unemployed)
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Jason McLaren // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Clarke County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 4,844 (114 unemployed)
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Jsayre64 // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Clayton County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 9,642 (229 unemployed)
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Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Fremont County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.1%
- Total labor force: 3,685 (89 unemployed)

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Ann Sullivan-Larson // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Hamilton County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 6,937 (168 unemployed)
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en:User:Cburnett // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Madison County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 8,645 (209 unemployed)
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Katie Haugland Bowen // Flickr

#23. Polk County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 275,236 (6,614 unemployed)
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Skinzfan23 // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Pottawattamie County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 48,470 (1,152 unemployed)
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Chuckmor // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Winnebago County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 4,897 (116 unemployed)

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Billwhittaker // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Henry County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 9,752 (243 unemployed)
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en:User:Cburnett // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Jasper County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 18,639 (470 unemployed)
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Kevin Schuchmann // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Jones County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 10,284 (258 unemployed)
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USFWSmidwest // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Louisa County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 5,857 (145 unemployed)
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Scott Romine // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Benton County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 13,067 (342 unemployed)

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David Wilson // Wikimedia

#15. Black Hawk County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 68,886 (1,767 unemployed)
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FluffyGryphon // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Dubuque County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 55,438 (1,461 unemployed)
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Jon Roanhaus // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Jackson County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 10,688 (277 unemployed)
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en:User:Cburnett // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Keokuk County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 5,118 (131 unemployed)
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Thug outlaw69 // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Muscatine County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 20,868 (538 unemployed)

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Idawriter // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Allamakee County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 7,023 (190 unemployed)
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en:User:Cburnett // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Wapello County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 17,112 (470 unemployed)
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Bill Whittaker // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Webster County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 18,397 (510 unemployed)
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Joe Elliott // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Crawford County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 7,804 (225 unemployed)
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Jim Roberts // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Linn County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 121,614 (3,561 unemployed)

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formulanone // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Scott County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 91,080 (2,717 unemployed)
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Richc80 // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Clinton County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 22,079 (724 unemployed)
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Daniel Hartwig // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Marshall County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 16,968 (619 unemployed)
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Ian Poellet // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Des Moines County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 18,188 (740 unemployed)
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Robert Thall // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Lee County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.2%
- Total labor force: 15,308 (755 unemployed)

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