Data / Rankings / Job destruction rate / Counties in Iowa

Counties in Iowa by job destruction rate

Cherokee County had the highest job destruction rate of 99 counties in 2018, at 22.178%. Worth County had the lowest, at 3.886%. The median was 9.888% and the figure for Iowa was 9.625%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest22.178Cherokee County
Lowest3.886Worth County
Median9.88899 counties
Iowa9.625History

Map of counties, 2018

Adair County: 8.052 %Adams County: 20.829 %Allamakee County: 6.376 %Appanoose County: 15.376 %Audubon County: 13.045 %Benton County: 10.386 %Black Hawk County: 9.388 %Boone County: 11.396 %Bremer County: 9.888 %Buchanan County: 9.03 %Buena Vista County: 6.088 %Butler County: 11.316 %Calhoun County: 10.11 %Carroll County: 16.121 %Cass County: 11.521 %Cedar County: 17.099 %Cerro Gordo County: 9.521 %Cherokee County: 22.178 %Chickasaw County: 7.586 %Clarke County: 8.108 %Clay County: 12.523 %Clayton County: 13.729 %Clinton County: 11.896 %Crawford County: 8.964 %Dallas County: 10.681 %Davis County: 10.239 %Decatur County: 4.691 %Delaware County: 7.819 %Des Moines County: 12.063 %Dickinson County: 12.117 %Dubuque County: 7.578 %Emmet County: 13.406 %Fayette County: 12.307 %Floyd County: 8.781 %Franklin County: 10.435 %Fremont County: 5.313 %Greene County: 10.383 %Grundy County: 11.45 %Guthrie County: 10.429 %Hamilton County: 7.14 %Hancock County: 7.739 %Hardin County: 9.196 %Harrison County: 12.942 %Henry County: 10.925 %Howard County: 8.705 %Humboldt County: 10.953 %Ida County: 6.276 %Iowa County: 10.162 %Jackson County: 9.576 %Jasper County: 10.35 %Jefferson County: 12.381 %Johnson County: 7.153 %Jones County: 12.724 %Keokuk County: 10.705 %Kossuth County: 9.621 %Lee County: 8.305 %Linn County: 10.74 %Louisa County: 6.409 %Lucas County: 5.323 %Lyon County: 7.186 %Madison County: 11.564 %Mahaska County: 7.775 %Marion County: 5.987 %Marshall County: 13.623 %Mills County: 11.077 %Mitchell County: 6.843 %Monona County: 10.701 %Monroe County: 11.856 %Montgomery County: 11.206 %Muscatine County: 7.908 %O'Brien County: 8.88 %Osceola County: 9.46 %Page County: 7.304 %Palo Alto County: 7.525 %Plymouth County: 10.399 %Pocahontas County: 7.733 %Polk County: 9.878 %Pottawattamie County: 10.963 %Poweshiek County: 7.533 %Ringgold County: 7.925 %Sac County: 11.692 %Scott County: 9.966 %Shelby County: 10.766 %Sioux County: 6.918 %Story County: 11.767 %Tama County: 7.13 %Taylor County: 4.596 %Union County: 13.011 %Van Buren County: 6.214 %Wapello County: 6.957 %Warren County: 9.037 %Washington County: 8.483 %Wayne County: 9.132 %Webster County: 11.125 %Winnebago County: 10.108 %Winneshiek County: 6.828 %Woodbury County: 8.781 %Worth County: 3.886 %Wright County: 10.173 %
  • Under 7.1
  • 7.1 to 8.4
  • 8.4 to 9.9
  • 9.9 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 and over
%, 2018. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2018

Cherokee County: 22.178 %Cherokee County22.178Adams County: 20.829 %Adams County20.829Cedar County: 17.099 %Cedar County17.099Carroll County: 16.121 %Carroll County16.121Appanoose County: 15.376 %Appanoose County15.376Clayton County: 13.729 %Clayton County13.729Marshall County: 13.623 %Marshall County13.623Emmet County: 13.406 %Emmet County13.406Audubon County: 13.045 %Audubon County13.045Union County: 13.011 %Union County13.011Harrison County: 12.942 %Harrison County12.942Jones County: 12.724 %Jones County12.724Clay County: 12.523 %Clay County12.523Jefferson County: 12.381 %Jefferson County12.381Fayette County: 12.307 %Fayette County12.307Dickinson County: 12.117 %Dickinson County12.117Des Moines County: 12.063 %Des Moines County12.063Clinton County: 11.896 %Clinton County11.896Monroe County: 11.856 %Monroe County11.856Story County: 11.767 %Story County11.767Sac County: 11.692 %Sac County11.692Madison County: 11.564 %Madison County11.564Cass County: 11.521 %Cass County11.521Grundy County: 11.45 %Grundy County11.45Boone County: 11.396 %Boone County11.396Butler County: 11.316 %Butler County11.316Montgomery County: 11.206 %Montgomery County11.206Webster County: 11.125 %Webster County11.125Mills County: 11.077 %Mills County11.077Pottawattamie County: 10.963 %Pottawattamie County10.963Humboldt County: 10.953 %Humboldt County10.953Henry County: 10.925 %Henry County10.925Shelby County: 10.766 %Shelby County10.766Linn County: 10.74 %Linn County10.74Keokuk County: 10.705 %Keokuk County10.705Monona County: 10.701 %Monona County10.701Dallas County: 10.681 %Dallas County10.681Franklin County: 10.435 %Franklin County10.435Guthrie County: 10.429 %Guthrie County10.429Plymouth County: 10.399 %Plymouth County10.399Cherokee County: 22.178 %Cherokee County22.178Adams County: 20.829 %Adams County20.829Cedar County: 17.099 %Cedar County17.099Carroll County: 16.121 %Carroll County16.121Appanoose County: 15.376 %Appanoose County15.376Clayton County: 13.729 %Clayton County13.729Marshall County: 13.623 %Marshall County13.623Emmet County: 13.406 %Emmet County13.406Audubon County: 13.045 %Audubon County13.045Union County: 13.011 %Union County13.011Harrison County: 12.942 %Harrison County12.942Jones County: 12.724 %Jones County12.724Clay County: 12.523 %Clay County12.523Jefferson County: 12.381 %Jefferson County12.381Fayette County: 12.307 %Fayette County12.307Dickinson County: 12.117 %Dickinson County12.117Des Moines County: 12.063 %Des Moines County12.063Clinton County: 11.896 %Clinton County11.896Monroe County: 11.856 %Monroe County11.856Story County: 11.767 %Story County11.767Sac County: 11.692 %Sac County11.692Madison County: 11.564 %Madison County11.564Cass County: 11.521 %Cass County11.521Grundy County: 11.45 %Grundy County11.45Boone County: 11.396 %Boone County11.396Butler County: 11.316 %Butler County11.316Montgomery County: 11.206 %Montgomery County11.206Webster County: 11.125 %Webster County11.125Mills County: 11.077 %Mills County11.077Pottawattamie County: 10.963 %Pottawattamie County10.963Humboldt County: 10.953 %Humboldt County10.953Henry County: 10.925 %Henry County10.925Shelby County: 10.766 %Shelby County10.766Linn County: 10.74 %Linn County10.74Keokuk County: 10.705 %Keokuk County10.705Monona County: 10.701 %Monona County10.701Dallas County: 10.681 %Dallas County10.681Franklin County: 10.435 %Franklin County10.435Guthrie County: 10.429 %Guthrie County10.429Plymouth County: 10.399 %Plymouth County10.399
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Cherokee County22.178+15.1 pts
2Adams County20.829+13.71 pts
3Cedar County17.099+4.03 pts
4Carroll County16.121+6.99 pts
5Appanoose County15.376+1.37 pts
6Clayton County13.729+2 pts
7Marshall County13.623+5.11 pts
8Emmet County13.406-0.09 pts
9Audubon County13.045+4.4 pts
10Union County13.011+2.95 pts
11Harrison County12.942+0.78 pts
12Jones County12.724-3.91 pts
13Clay County12.523+0.92 pts
14Jefferson County12.381+0.47 pts
15Fayette County12.307-1.46 pts
16Dickinson County12.117+1.11 pts
17Des Moines County12.063-0.69 pts
18Clinton County11.896-4.06 pts
19Monroe County11.856-4.87 pts
20Story County11.767-2.32 pts
21Sac County11.692+2.62 pts
22Madison County11.564-3.78 pts
23Cass County11.521+3.49 pts
24Grundy County11.45-4.68 pts
25Boone County11.396+0.9 pts
26Butler County11.316+2.22 pts
27Montgomery County11.206-4.38 pts
28Webster County11.125+1.06 pts
29Mills County11.077+0.72 pts
30Pottawattamie County10.963+0.06 pts
31Humboldt County10.953-0.78 pts
32Henry County10.925-0.61 pts
33Shelby County10.766+0.93 pts
34Linn County10.74+0.41 pts
35Keokuk County10.705-4.04 pts
36Monona County10.701+0.5 pts
37Dallas County10.681+3.36 pts
38Franklin County10.435-3.81 pts
39Guthrie County10.429-1.36 pts
40Plymouth County10.399+2.93 pts
41Benton County10.386-2.51 pts
42Greene County10.383-2 pts
43Jasper County10.35+2.31 pts
44Davis County10.239-4.11 pts
45Wright County10.173-3.56 pts
46Iowa County10.162+3.45 pts
47Calhoun County10.11+1.66 pts
48Winnebago County10.108+0.59 pts
49Scott County9.966-1.9 pts
50Bremer County9.888-0.51 pts
51Polk County9.878-0.17 pts
52Kossuth County9.621-0.17 pts
53Jackson County9.576-2.47 pts
54Cerro Gordo County9.521-4.76 pts
55Osceola County9.46-3.51 pts
56Black Hawk County9.388-9.55 pts
57Hardin County9.196-3.89 pts
58Wayne County9.132+1.33 pts
59Warren County9.037-2.33 pts
60Buchanan County9.03-5.12 pts
61Crawford County8.964-3.46 pts
62O'Brien County8.88-0.02 pts
63Floyd County8.781-0.04 pts
63Woodbury County8.781-2.18 pts
65Howard County8.705-0.64 pts
66Washington County8.483-3.96 pts
67Lee County8.305-4.91 pts
68Clarke County8.108-0.18 pts
69Adair County8.052-5.45 pts
70Ringgold County7.925-4.19 pts
71Muscatine County7.908+1.1 pts
72Delaware County7.819-3.71 pts
73Mahaska County7.775-2.55 pts
74Hancock County7.739-3.21 pts
75Pocahontas County7.733-4.18 pts
76Chickasaw County7.586-0.74 pts
77Dubuque County7.578-2.45 pts
78Poweshiek County7.533+0.37 pts
79Palo Alto County7.525-3.37 pts
80Page County7.304-4.05 pts
81Lyon County7.186-0.03 pts
82Johnson County7.153-3.33 pts
83Hamilton County7.14-3.74 pts
84Tama County7.13-2.64 pts
85Wapello County6.957-7.27 pts
86Sioux County6.918-0.68 pts
87Mitchell County6.843-9.88 pts
88Winneshiek County6.828-0.42 pts
89Louisa County6.409-0.96 pts
90Allamakee County6.376-6.62 pts
91Ida County6.276-0.46 pts
92Van Buren County6.214+0.52 pts
93Buena Vista County6.088-1.6 pts
94Marion County5.987-0.1 pts
95Lucas County5.323-1.58 pts
96Fremont County5.313-0.7 pts
97Decatur County4.691-4.62 pts
98Taylor County4.596-4.13 pts
99Worth County3.886-9.88 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Jobs lost at closing and shrinking establishments during the year, as a percentage of average employment in the two years. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

A gross flow: jobs added elsewhere are not subtracted, so the net change is job_creation_rate minus this rate. Not a layoff rate: it counts positions lost at establishments, not people who lost a job. The year is the twelve months to March: 2023 compares March 2022 with March 2023.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in Iowa by job destruction rate, 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Iowa by job destruction rate, 2018. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/iowa-counties?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in Iowa by job destruction rate, 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/iowa-counties?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Iowa by job destruction rate, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/iowa-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_iowa_by_2018,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Iowa by job destruction rate, 2018}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/iowa-counties?period=2018. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Iowa by job destruction rate, 2018
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/09/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/iowa-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/iowa-counties?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest job destruction rate?

Cherokee County, with 22.178% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job destruction rate?

Worth County, with 3.886% in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Job destruction rate: other rankings

Counties in Iowa: more rankings