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 2023, at 75.2%. Appanoose County had the lowest, at 54.5%. The median was 64.3% and the figure for Iowa was 66.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest75.2Dallas County
Lowest54.5Appanoose County
Median64.399 counties
Iowa66.5History

Map of counties, 2023

Adair County: 64.4 %Adams County: 61.3 %Allamakee County: 63.8 %Appanoose County: 54.5 %Audubon County: 62.4 %Benton County: 66.6 %Black Hawk County: 66.6 %Boone County: 65.7 %Bremer County: 65.6 %Buchanan County: 68.4 %Buena Vista County: 68.2 %Butler County: 62.8 %Calhoun County: 56 %Carroll County: 65.9 %Cass County: 63.9 %Cedar County: 64.5 %Cerro Gordo County: 64.7 %Cherokee County: 65.2 %Chickasaw County: 67.3 %Clarke County: 62.1 %Clay County: 65.8 %Clayton County: 62 %Clinton County: 61.2 %Crawford County: 64.5 %Dallas County: 75.2 %Davis County: 62.6 %Decatur County: 59.3 %Delaware County: 69.8 %Des Moines County: 61.3 %Dickinson County: 64.2 %Dubuque County: 67.5 %Emmet County: 65.1 %Fayette County: 60.6 %Floyd County: 61.8 %Franklin County: 61.7 %Fremont County: 58.7 %Greene County: 62.2 %Grundy County: 66.5 %Guthrie County: 64.4 %Hamilton County: 63.5 %Hancock County: 64 %Hardin County: 61.3 %Harrison County: 65.5 %Henry County: 58.9 %Howard County: 64.3 %Humboldt County: 63.7 %Ida County: 66 %Iowa County: 67.2 %Jackson County: 62.9 %Jasper County: 62.6 %Jefferson County: 60.7 %Johnson County: 69.8 %Jones County: 60.1 %Keokuk County: 59.5 %Kossuth County: 62.8 %Lee County: 57.7 %Linn County: 68 %Louisa County: 64.6 %Lucas County: 60.9 %Lyon County: 68.4 %Madison County: 69.7 %Mahaska County: 66.9 %Marion County: 64.9 %Marshall County: 66.6 %Mills County: 63.1 %Mitchell County: 67.5 %Monona County: 61.6 %Monroe County: 61.7 %Montgomery County: 60.2 %Muscatine County: 65.8 %O'Brien County: 64.4 %Osceola County: 65.9 %Page County: 55.1 %Palo Alto County: 67.1 %Plymouth County: 68.7 %Pocahontas County: 63.1 %Polk County: 71.3 %Pottawattamie County: 63.8 %Poweshiek County: 61.2 %Ringgold County: 64.5 %Sac County: 66.6 %Scott County: 65.6 %Shelby County: 64 %Sioux County: 71.5 %Story County: 65.9 %Tama County: 61.9 %Taylor County: 63.8 %Union County: 59.8 %Van Buren County: 58.4 %Wapello County: 61.5 %Warren County: 68.7 %Washington County: 68.3 %Wayne County: 58.7 %Webster County: 60.9 %Winnebago County: 64.3 %Winneshiek County: 67.3 %Woodbury County: 67.6 %Worth County: 69.1 %Wright County: 60.2 %
  • Under 61
  • 61 to 63
  • 63 to 64
  • 64 to 66
  • 66 to 67
  • 67 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Dallas County: 75.2 %Dallas County75.2Sioux County: 71.5 %Sioux County71.5Polk County: 71.3 %Polk County71.3Delaware County: 69.8 %Delaware County69.8Johnson County: 69.8 %Johnson County69.8Madison County: 69.7 %Madison County69.7Worth County: 69.1 %Worth County69.1Plymouth County: 68.7 %Plymouth County68.7Warren County: 68.7 %Warren County68.7Buchanan County: 68.4 %Buchanan County68.4Lyon County: 68.4 %Lyon County68.4Washington County: 68.3 %Washington County68.3Buena Vista County: 68.2 %Buena Vista County68.2Linn County: 68 %Linn County68Woodbury County: 67.6 %Woodbury County67.6Mitchell County: 67.5 %Mitchell County67.5Dubuque County: 67.5 %Dubuque County67.5Chickasaw County: 67.3 %Chickasaw County67.3Winneshiek County: 67.3 %Winneshiek County67.3Iowa County: 67.2 %Iowa County67.2Palo Alto County: 67.1 %Palo Alto County67.1Mahaska County: 66.9 %Mahaska County66.9Sac County: 66.6 %Sac County66.6Marshall County: 66.6 %Marshall County66.6Black Hawk County: 66.6 %Black Hawk County66.6Benton County: 66.6 %Benton County66.6Grundy County: 66.5 %Grundy County66.5Ida County: 66 %Ida County66Carroll County: 65.9 %Carroll County65.9Osceola County: 65.9 %Osceola County65.9Story County: 65.9 %Story County65.9Muscatine County: 65.8 %Muscatine County65.8Clay County: 65.8 %Clay County65.8Boone County: 65.7 %Boone County65.7Bremer County: 65.6 %Bremer County65.6Scott County: 65.6 %Scott County65.6Harrison County: 65.5 %Harrison County65.5Cherokee County: 65.2 %Cherokee County65.2Emmet County: 65.1 %Emmet County65.1Marion County: 64.9 %Marion County64.9Dallas County: 75.2 %Dallas County75.2Sioux County: 71.5 %Sioux County71.5Polk County: 71.3 %Polk County71.3Delaware County: 69.8 %Delaware County69.8Johnson County: 69.8 %Johnson County69.8Madison County: 69.7 %Madison County69.7Worth County: 69.1 %Worth County69.1Plymouth County: 68.7 %Plymouth County68.7Warren County: 68.7 %Warren County68.7Buchanan County: 68.4 %Buchanan County68.4Lyon County: 68.4 %Lyon County68.4Washington County: 68.3 %Washington County68.3Buena Vista County: 68.2 %Buena Vista County68.2Linn County: 68 %Linn County68Woodbury County: 67.6 %Woodbury County67.6Mitchell County: 67.5 %Mitchell County67.5Dubuque County: 67.5 %Dubuque County67.5Chickasaw County: 67.3 %Chickasaw County67.3Winneshiek County: 67.3 %Winneshiek County67.3Iowa County: 67.2 %Iowa County67.2Palo Alto County: 67.1 %Palo Alto County67.1Mahaska County: 66.9 %Mahaska County66.9Sac County: 66.6 %Sac County66.6Marshall County: 66.6 %Marshall County66.6Black Hawk County: 66.6 %Black Hawk County66.6Benton County: 66.6 %Benton County66.6Grundy County: 66.5 %Grundy County66.5Ida County: 66 %Ida County66Carroll County: 65.9 %Carroll County65.9Osceola County: 65.9 %Osceola County65.9Story County: 65.9 %Story County65.9Muscatine County: 65.8 %Muscatine County65.8Clay County: 65.8 %Clay County65.8Boone County: 65.7 %Boone County65.7Bremer County: 65.6 %Bremer County65.6Scott County: 65.6 %Scott County65.6Harrison County: 65.5 %Harrison County65.5Cherokee County: 65.2 %Cherokee County65.2Emmet County: 65.1 %Emmet County65.1Marion County: 64.9 %Marion County64.9
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Dallas County75.2-0.2 pts
2Sioux County71.5-0.4 pts
3Polk County71.3+0.2 pts
4Delaware County69.8-1.3 pts
5Johnson County69.8+0.1 pts
6Madison County69.7-1.7 pts
7Worth County69.1+0.4 pts
8Plymouth County68.7-0.7 pts
9Warren County68.7-0.3 pts
10Buchanan County68.4+1.3 pts
11Lyon County68.4+1.6 pts
12Washington County68.3+0.5 pts
13Buena Vista County68.2-0.2 pts
14Linn County68-0.8 pts
15Woodbury County67.6-0.6 pts
16Mitchell County67.5-1 pts
17Dubuque County67.50 pts
18Chickasaw County67.3-0.1 pts
19Winneshiek County67.3+0.9 pts
20Iowa County67.2+0.4 pts
21Palo Alto County67.1+0.9 pts
22Mahaska County66.9+1.1 pts
23Sac County66.6+1.3 pts
24Marshall County66.6-0.2 pts
25Black Hawk County66.60 pts
26Benton County66.6+0.4 pts
27Grundy County66.5+0.8 pts
28Ida County66+0.6 pts
29Carroll County65.9-0.7 pts
30Osceola County65.9-0.2 pts
31Story County65.9-0.9 pts
32Muscatine County65.8+0.4 pts
33Clay County65.8-1.6 pts
34Boone County65.7-0.1 pts
35Bremer County65.6-1.2 pts
36Scott County65.6-0.3 pts
37Harrison County65.5+0.2 pts
38Cherokee County65.2-0.1 pts
39Emmet County65.1+1.1 pts
40Marion County64.90 pts
41Cerro Gordo County64.7+0.1 pts
42Louisa County64.6-0.5 pts
43Crawford County64.5+0.8 pts
44Cedar County64.5-2.3 pts
45Ringgold County64.5+1.6 pts
46Adair County64.4+1.1 pts
47O'Brien County64.4+0.5 pts
48Guthrie County64.4+0.5 pts
49Howard County64.3-1.2 pts
49Winnebago County64.3-0.4 pts
51Dickinson County64.2-0.7 pts
52Hancock County64-1 pts
53Shelby County64-0.5 pts
54Cass County63.9+1.8 pts
55Taylor County63.8-0.7 pts
56Allamakee County63.8-0 pts
56Pottawattamie County63.8-0.1 pts
58Humboldt County63.7-0.4 pts
59Hamilton County63.5+0.2 pts
60Mills County63.1+0.4 pts
61Pocahontas County63.1+0.5 pts
62Jackson County62.9+0.8 pts
63Butler County62.8+0.8 pts
64Kossuth County62.8+1.3 pts
65Davis County62.6-0 pts
66Jasper County62.6-0.6 pts
67Audubon County62.4-0.8 pts
68Greene County62.2-1.6 pts
69Clarke County62.1-1.5 pts
70Clayton County62-1.5 pts
71Tama County61.9-1.8 pts
72Floyd County61.8+0.7 pts
73Monroe County61.7-0.4 pts
74Franklin County61.7-0.6 pts
75Monona County61.6+0.6 pts
76Wapello County61.5-0 pts
77Adams County61.3-0.5 pts
78Hardin County61.3-0.2 pts
79Des Moines County61.3+0.3 pts
80Clinton County61.2+0.4 pts
81Poweshiek County61.2-1.3 pts
82Lucas County60.9-0.4 pts
83Webster County60.9+0.3 pts
84Jefferson County60.7+1 pts
85Fayette County60.6-0 pts
86Wright County60.2+0.9 pts
87Montgomery County60.2-0.5 pts
88Jones County60.1-0.8 pts
89Union County59.8-1.1 pts
90Keokuk County59.5-0.3 pts
91Decatur County59.3+0.3 pts
92Henry County58.9-0.9 pts
93Wayne County58.7+0.5 pts
94Fremont County58.7-0.9 pts
95Van Buren County58.4+2.5 pts
96Lee County57.7-0.6 pts
97Calhoun County56+1.2 pts
98Page County55.1-2.4 pts
99Appanoose County54.5+0.5 pts

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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2023. 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), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2023.

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), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_iowa_by_2023,
  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), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Dallas County, with 75.2% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Appanoose County, with 54.5% in 2023.

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