Data / Rankings / Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Iowa

Counties in Iowa by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Dallas County had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 99 counties in 2021, at 75.9%. Appanoose County had the lowest, at 52.6%. The median was 64.6% and the figure for Iowa was 66.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest75.9Dallas County
Lowest52.6Appanoose County
Median64.699 counties
Iowa66.9History

Map of counties, 2021

Adair County: 63.8 %Adams County: 59.3 %Allamakee County: 63.4 %Appanoose County: 52.6 %Audubon County: 64.4 %Benton County: 66.2 %Black Hawk County: 66.9 %Boone County: 66.5 %Bremer County: 67.7 %Buchanan County: 67.3 %Buena Vista County: 68.5 %Butler County: 62.7 %Calhoun County: 54.3 %Carroll County: 67.6 %Cass County: 62.2 %Cedar County: 66.8 %Cerro Gordo County: 66.2 %Cherokee County: 65.9 %Chickasaw County: 69 %Clarke County: 61.9 %Clay County: 65.5 %Clayton County: 64.5 %Clinton County: 60.7 %Crawford County: 63.7 %Dallas County: 75.9 %Davis County: 64.4 %Decatur County: 59.7 %Delaware County: 70.9 %Des Moines County: 62.4 %Dickinson County: 65.4 %Dubuque County: 67.6 %Emmet County: 63 %Fayette County: 61.4 %Floyd County: 63.9 %Franklin County: 60.5 %Fremont County: 59.9 %Greene County: 63.4 %Grundy County: 65.2 %Guthrie County: 64.5 %Hamilton County: 62.8 %Hancock County: 67.1 %Hardin County: 61.7 %Harrison County: 65.2 %Henry County: 60 %Howard County: 66.6 %Humboldt County: 65.7 %Ida County: 66.3 %Iowa County: 68.5 %Jackson County: 63.1 %Jasper County: 62.9 %Jefferson County: 59.8 %Johnson County: 70.1 %Jones County: 62.2 %Keokuk County: 60.1 %Kossuth County: 61.7 %Lee County: 59.5 %Linn County: 69.3 %Louisa County: 65.5 %Lucas County: 60.6 %Lyon County: 69.8 %Madison County: 72.5 %Mahaska County: 65.8 %Marion County: 64.6 %Marshall County: 65.8 %Mills County: 65 %Mitchell County: 69 %Monona County: 61.3 %Monroe County: 63.2 %Montgomery County: 61.6 %Muscatine County: 65.5 %O'Brien County: 65.7 %Osceola County: 66.5 %Page County: 58.9 %Palo Alto County: 66.9 %Plymouth County: 69.9 %Pocahontas County: 63.3 %Polk County: 71.6 %Pottawattamie County: 64.7 %Poweshiek County: 63.2 %Ringgold County: 59.7 %Sac County: 64.8 %Scott County: 65.7 %Shelby County: 67.1 %Sioux County: 73 %Story County: 65 %Tama County: 64.3 %Taylor County: 64.6 %Union County: 61.4 %Van Buren County: 56.8 %Wapello County: 61.2 %Warren County: 70.3 %Washington County: 68.9 %Wayne County: 58.1 %Webster County: 60.2 %Winnebago County: 64.6 %Winneshiek County: 67.5 %Woodbury County: 69 %Worth County: 67.3 %Wright County: 58.6 %
  • Under 61
  • 61 to 63
  • 63 to 65
  • 65 to 66
  • 66 to 68
  • 68 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Dallas County: 75.9 %Dallas County75.9Sioux County: 73 %Sioux County73Madison County: 72.5 %Madison County72.5Polk County: 71.6 %Polk County71.6Delaware County: 70.9 %Delaware County70.9Warren County: 70.3 %Warren County70.3Johnson County: 70.1 %Johnson County70.1Plymouth County: 69.9 %Plymouth County69.9Lyon County: 69.8 %Lyon County69.8Linn County: 69.3 %Linn County69.3Chickasaw County: 69 %Chickasaw County69Woodbury County: 69 %Woodbury County69Mitchell County: 69 %Mitchell County69Washington County: 68.9 %Washington County68.9Buena Vista County: 68.5 %Buena Vista County68.5Iowa County: 68.5 %Iowa County68.5Bremer County: 67.7 %Bremer County67.7Carroll County: 67.6 %Carroll County67.6Dubuque County: 67.6 %Dubuque County67.6Winneshiek County: 67.5 %Winneshiek County67.5Worth County: 67.3 %Worth County67.3Buchanan County: 67.3 %Buchanan County67.3Shelby County: 67.1 %Shelby County67.1Hancock County: 67.1 %Hancock County67.1Palo Alto County: 66.9 %Palo Alto County66.9Black Hawk County: 66.9 %Black Hawk County66.9Cedar County: 66.8 %Cedar County66.8Howard County: 66.6 %Howard County66.6Boone County: 66.5 %Boone County66.5Osceola County: 66.5 %Osceola County66.5Ida County: 66.3 %Ida County66.3Benton County: 66.2 %Benton County66.2Cerro Gordo County: 66.2 %Cerro Gordo County66.2Cherokee County: 65.9 %Cherokee County65.9Marshall County: 65.8 %Marshall County65.8Mahaska County: 65.8 %Mahaska County65.8O'Brien County: 65.7 %O'Brien County65.7Humboldt County: 65.7 %Humboldt County65.7Scott County: 65.7 %Scott County65.7Clay County: 65.5 %Clay County65.5Dallas County: 75.9 %Dallas County75.9Sioux County: 73 %Sioux County73Madison County: 72.5 %Madison County72.5Polk County: 71.6 %Polk County71.6Delaware County: 70.9 %Delaware County70.9Warren County: 70.3 %Warren County70.3Johnson County: 70.1 %Johnson County70.1Plymouth County: 69.9 %Plymouth County69.9Lyon County: 69.8 %Lyon County69.8Linn County: 69.3 %Linn County69.3Chickasaw County: 69 %Chickasaw County69Woodbury County: 69 %Woodbury County69Mitchell County: 69 %Mitchell County69Washington County: 68.9 %Washington County68.9Buena Vista County: 68.5 %Buena Vista County68.5Iowa County: 68.5 %Iowa County68.5Bremer County: 67.7 %Bremer County67.7Carroll County: 67.6 %Carroll County67.6Dubuque County: 67.6 %Dubuque County67.6Winneshiek County: 67.5 %Winneshiek County67.5Worth County: 67.3 %Worth County67.3Buchanan County: 67.3 %Buchanan County67.3Shelby County: 67.1 %Shelby County67.1Hancock County: 67.1 %Hancock County67.1Palo Alto County: 66.9 %Palo Alto County66.9Black Hawk County: 66.9 %Black Hawk County66.9Cedar County: 66.8 %Cedar County66.8Howard County: 66.6 %Howard County66.6Boone County: 66.5 %Boone County66.5Osceola County: 66.5 %Osceola County66.5Ida County: 66.3 %Ida County66.3Benton County: 66.2 %Benton County66.2Cerro Gordo County: 66.2 %Cerro Gordo County66.2Cherokee County: 65.9 %Cherokee County65.9Marshall County: 65.8 %Marshall County65.8Mahaska County: 65.8 %Mahaska County65.8O'Brien County: 65.7 %O'Brien County65.7Humboldt County: 65.7 %Humboldt County65.7Scott County: 65.7 %Scott County65.7Clay County: 65.5 %Clay County65.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Dallas County75.9
2Sioux County73
3Madison County72.5
4Polk County71.6
5Delaware County70.9
6Warren County70.3
7Johnson County70.1
8Plymouth County69.9
9Lyon County69.8
10Linn County69.3
11Chickasaw County69
12Woodbury County69
13Mitchell County69
14Washington County68.9
15Buena Vista County68.5
16Iowa County68.5
17Bremer County67.7
18Carroll County67.6
18Dubuque County67.6
20Winneshiek County67.5
21Worth County67.3
22Buchanan County67.3
23Shelby County67.1
24Hancock County67.1
25Palo Alto County66.9
26Black Hawk County66.9
27Cedar County66.8
28Howard County66.6
29Boone County66.5
29Osceola County66.5
31Ida County66.3
32Benton County66.2
33Cerro Gordo County66.2
34Cherokee County65.9
35Marshall County65.8
36Mahaska County65.8
37O'Brien County65.7
38Humboldt County65.7
38Scott County65.7
40Clay County65.5
40Muscatine County65.5
42Louisa County65.5
43Dickinson County65.4
44Harrison County65.2
45Grundy County65.2
46Mills County65
47Story County65
48Sac County64.8
49Pottawattamie County64.7
50Marion County64.6
51Winnebago County64.6
52Taylor County64.6
53Clayton County64.5
54Guthrie County64.5
55Davis County64.4
56Audubon County64.4
57Tama County64.3
58Floyd County63.9
59Adair County63.8
60Crawford County63.7
61Allamakee County63.4
62Greene County63.4
63Pocahontas County63.3
64Monroe County63.2
65Poweshiek County63.2
66Jackson County63.1
67Emmet County63
68Jasper County62.9
69Hamilton County62.8
70Butler County62.7
71Des Moines County62.4
72Cass County62.2
73Jones County62.2
74Clarke County61.9
75Hardin County61.7
76Kossuth County61.7
77Montgomery County61.6
78Union County61.4
79Fayette County61.4
80Monona County61.3
81Wapello County61.2
82Clinton County60.7
83Lucas County60.6
84Franklin County60.5
85Webster County60.2
86Keokuk County60.1
87Henry County60
88Fremont County59.9
89Jefferson County59.8
90Decatur County59.7
91Ringgold County59.7
92Lee County59.5
93Adams County59.3
94Page County58.9
95Wright County58.6
96Wayne County58.1
97Van Buren County56.8
98Calhoun County54.3
99Appanoose County52.6

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 16 and over in the labor force (employed, unemployed or in the Armed Forces) as a percentage of all people aged 16 and over, including people in group quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The Census Bureau definition used in its data profiles. It differs from the BLS labor_force_participation_rate, which counts the civilian noninstitutional population only.

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. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. 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. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Iowa by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Iowa by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Iowa by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Iowa by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_iowa_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Iowa by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Iowa by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in Iowa by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Dallas County, with 75.9% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Appanoose County, with 52.6% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Iowa: more rankings