RANKING · 2024 ACS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Highest unemployment, Iowa cities

Iowa cities ranked by the highest unemployment rate (2024 ACS). This list covers the 87 cities in Iowa that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 87 is 3.6%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Oelwein, IA, up 78 places to #5.

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SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYMENT RATEVS 2020

01▲2Fairfield, IAIA9,22011.8%+2.5 pts

02▲39Iowa Falls, IAIA5,0139.1%+5.0 pts

03▼2Maquoketa, IAIA6,0278.6%−1.4 pts

04▲10Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,2398.2%+1.8 pts

05▲78Oelwein, IAIA5,7577.6%+6.9 pts

06▲18Altoona, IAIA22,7967.5%+2.3 pts

07▲4Fort Madison, IAIA9,9357.3%+0.5 pts

08▲46Webster City, IAIA7,8157.0%+3.6 pts

09▲4Clarinda, IAIA5,2736.5%0.0 pts

10▲41Fort Dodge, IAIA24,8376.0%+2.5 pts

11▲69Osceola, IAIA5,6796.0%+4.7 pts

12▼2Ames, IAIA68,2205.8%−1.4 pts

13▲27Newton, IAIA15,7415.7%+1.6 pts

14▲3Des Moines, IAIA212,0865.6%−0.4 pts

15▼8Denison, IAIA8,2145.4%−2.3 pts

16▼4Waterloo, IAIA66,9195.3%−1.4 pts

17▲3Marshalltown, IAIA27,5365.3%−0.4 pts

18▼16Anamosa, IAIA5,9015.2%−4.5 pts

19▼10Keokuk, IAIA9,5104.9%−2.4 pts

20▲22Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4934.8%+0.7 pts

21▲40Knoxville, IAIA7,4694.8%+1.9 pts

22▲10Iowa City, IAIA76,2294.6%−0.1 pts

23▲3Ottumwa, IAIA25,3194.6%−0.5 pts

24▲7Charles City, IAIA7,0134.6%−0.2 pts

25▲8Davenport, IAIA100,3584.6%−0.2 pts

26▲4Dubuque, IAIA59,1484.5%−0.3 pts

27▼8Spencer, IAIA11,2184.5%−1.2 pts

28Sioux City, IAIA86,3564.5%−0.4 pts

29▼24Storm Lake, IAIA11,5904.4%−3.6 pts

30▲6Muscatine, IAIA23,1644.3%−0.1 pts

31▼4Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6804.2%−0.7 pts

32▼14DeWitt, IAIA5,7044.1%−1.6 pts

33▲22Decorah, IAIA7,4174.0%+0.7 pts

34▼19Grinnell, IAIA9,4304.0%−2.3 pts

35▲21Clive, IAIA19,8614.0%+0.7 pts

36▲17Indianola, IAIA16,8294.0%+0.4 pts

37▼29Hiawatha, IAIA7,4324.0%−3.5 pts

38▲7Cedar Falls, IAIA41,2403.9%0.0 pts

39▼14Burlington, IAIA23,3363.9%−1.3 pts

40▼17Clinton, IAIA24,0493.7%−1.4 pts

41▼37Perry, IAIA8,2083.6%−5.6 pts

42▲1Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,9353.6%−0.3 pts

43▲27Creston, IAIA7,3353.6%+1.3 pts

44▼38Centerville, IAIA5,3273.6%−4.2 pts

45▲2Marion, IAIA42,7323.6%−0.3 pts

46▲11Waukee, IAIA34,8903.5%+0.3 pts

47▲32Manchester, IAIA5,3573.5%+2.2 pts

48▲2Waverly, IAIA10,5613.5%−0.1 pts

49▼5Norwalk, IAIA15,0043.4%−0.5 pts

50▲13North Liberty, IAIA21,9763.3%+0.7 pts

51▼22Washington, IAIA7,2613.3%−1.5 pts

52Polk City, IAIA6,6303.2%−0.4 pts

53▲31Spirit Lake, IAIA5,5253.1%+2.6 pts

54▲20Winterset, IAIA5,5203.0%+0.9 pts

55▼9Urbandale, IAIA48,5702.9%−1.0 pts

56▼18Red Oak, IAIA5,3882.9%−1.5 pts

57▲12Le Mars, IAIA10,7602.8%+0.4 pts

58▼10Mason City, IAIA26,8532.8%−0.9 pts

59▼38Adel, IAIA7,0982.7%−2.5 pts

60▼21Glenwood, IAIA5,2872.7%−1.5 pts

61▼3Orange City, IAIA6,4682.7%−0.3 pts

62▲4Carroll, IAIA10,0852.5%0.0 pts

63▲12Vinton, IAIA5,0042.5%+1.0 pts

64▼4Clear Lake, IAIA7,6012.4%−0.5 pts

65▲3West Des Moines, IAIA74,2242.4%−0.1 pts

66▼7Cherokee, IAIA5,1222.4%−0.6 pts

67▼5Bettendorf, IAIA40,7102.4%−0.4 pts

68▲5Independence, IAIA6,3122.3%+0.2 pts

69▲3Coralville, IAIA23,9602.2%+0.1 pts

70▲7Johnston, IAIA25,0652.1%+0.8 pts

71▲16Nevada, IAIA6,9742.0%+1.7 pts

72▲6Boone, IAIA12,4712.0%+0.7 pts

73▼51Algona, IAIA5,3092.0%−3.2 pts

74▼58Grimes, IAIA17,4051.9%−4.2 pts

75▼11Ankeny, IAIA77,8331.9%−0.6 pts

76▼9Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,5001.7%−0.8 pts

77▼43Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,3241.7%−2.8 pts

78▼43Windsor Heights, IAIA5,0591.4%−3.0 pts

79▲7Sioux Center, IAIA8,8641.2%+0.9 pts

80▼43Asbury, IAIA6,0351.2%−3.2 pts

81▼5Pella, IAIA10,9921.1%−0.3 pts

82Atlantic, IAIA6,6761.1%+0.4 pts

83▼34Estherville, IAIA5,8071.1%−2.5 pts

84▼19Eldridge, IAIA6,9541.0%−1.5 pts

85Bondurant, IAIA9,6470.9%+0.5 pts

86▼5Sheldon, IAIA5,5750.6%−0.3 pts

87▼16Tiffin, IAIA7,1560.4%−1.8 pts

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES