RANKING · 2024 ACS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most unemployed people, Iowa cities

Iowa cities with the most unemployed people in the civilian labor force, as of the 2024 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the unemployment rate. This list covers the 87 cities in Iowa that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 87 is 194. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Oelwein, IA, up 36 places to #47.

IowaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYED RESIDENTSVS 2020

01Des Moines, IAIA212,0866,755−5%

02Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,9352,779−4%

03▲1Davenport, IAIA100,3582,4520%

04▼1Ames, IAIA68,2202,364−14%

05▲2Iowa City, IAIA76,2292,0990%

06Sioux City, IAIA86,3561,992−7%

07▼2Waterloo, IAIA66,9191,808−23%

08▲1Dubuque, IAIA59,1481,430−4%

09▼1Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6801,338−16%

10▲1West Des Moines, IAIA74,2241,008+4%

11▲1Cedar Falls, IAIA41,240919−4%

12▲9Altoona, IAIA22,796865+62%

13▼3Ankeny, IAIA77,833804−18%

14Marion, IAIA42,732781−8%

15▲12Fort Dodge, IAIA24,837745+88%

16▼1Marshalltown, IAIA27,536742+2%

17▼4Urbandale, IAIA48,570738−23%

18▲8Waukee, IAIA34,890595+44%

19▼2Ottumwa, IAIA25,319578−8%

20▲5Fairfield, IAIA9,220531+16%

21▼1Muscatine, IAIA23,164488−11%

22▲13Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,239482+56%

23▼1Bettendorf, IAIA40,710474−8%

24▲9Newton, IAIA15,741453+45%

25▼9Burlington, IAIA23,336452−28%

26▼8Clinton, IAIA24,049429−31%

27▲12North Liberty, IAIA21,976409+42%

28▲9Clive, IAIA19,861408+34%

29▼10Mason City, IAIA26,853397−28%

30Fort Madison, IAIA9,935344+2%

31▲9Indianola, IAIA16,829332+16%

32▲9Coralville, IAIA23,960287+9%

33▲10Oskaloosa, IAIA11,493282+17%

34▲25Webster City, IAIA7,815277+133%

35▲14Johnston, IAIA25,065267+57%

36▲6Norwalk, IAIA15,004264+2%

37▼13Storm Lake, IAIA11,590263−43%

38▼6Spencer, IAIA11,218261−17%

39▼1Maquoketa, IAIA6,027254−12%

40▼4Denison, IAIA8,214233−24%

41▲27Iowa Falls, IAIA5,013226+124%

42▼13Keokuk, IAIA9,510218−41%

43▼9Grinnell, IAIA9,430195−37%

44▲1Waverly, IAIA10,5611940%

45▼22Grimes, IAIA17,405192−62%

46▲24Knoxville, IAIA7,469189+95%

47▲36Oelwein, IAIA5,757187+939%

48▲32Osceola, IAIA5,679180+463%

49▲2Decorah, IAIA7,417171+16%

50▼22Perry, IAIA8,208168−55%

51▼3Charles City, IAIA7,013166−4%

52▲2Le Mars, IAIA10,760166+25%

53▼22Hiawatha, IAIA7,432141−56%

54▲15Boone, IAIA12,471139+43%

55Carroll, IAIA10,085130+2%

56▼6Clarinda, IAIA5,273127−16%

57▼11Washington, IAIA7,261125−30%

58▲13Creston, IAIA7,335124+41%

59▼15Anamosa, IAIA5,901115−48%

60▼4DeWitt, IAIA5,704112−11%

61▲6Polk City, IAIA6,630105+1%

62▲17Manchester, IAIA5,357104+197%

63▲22Spirit Lake, IAIA5,52598+654%

64▼1Clear Lake, IAIA7,60196−14%

65Orange City, IAIA6,46892−12%

66▼14Adel, IAIA7,09889−37%

67▼20Centerville, IAIA5,32789−49%

68▲8Winterset, IAIA5,52083+38%

69▲6Independence, IAIA6,31280+19%

70▼4Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,50073−30%

71▲16Nevada, IAIA6,97473+630%

72▼11Red Oak, IAIA5,38869−39%

73Pella, IAIA10,99266−19%

74▼12Glenwood, IAIA5,28765−42%

75▼1Cherokee, IAIA5,12264−10%

76▲2Vinton, IAIA5,00459+69%

77▲9Sioux Center, IAIA8,86458+346%

78▼25Algona, IAIA5,30953−61%

79▼22Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,32450−59%

80▲4Bondurant, IAIA9,64744+214%

81▲1Atlantic, IAIA6,67641+58%

82▼10Eldridge, IAIA6,95437−57%

83▼25Asbury, IAIA6,03536−70%

84▼24Windsor Heights, IAIA5,05936−69%

85▼21Estherville, IAIA5,80735−67%

86▼5Sheldon, IAIA5,57518−36%

87▼10Tiffin, IAIA7,15613−70%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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