Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Iowa

Counties in Iowa by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

Jefferson County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 99 counties in 2024, at 8%. Fremont County had the lowest, at 0.8%. The median was 3.2% and the figure for Iowa was 3.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest8Jefferson County
Lowest0.8Fremont County
Median3.299 counties
Iowa3.6History

Map of counties, 2024

Adair County: 4 %Adams County: 3.9 %Allamakee County: 2.5 %Appanoose County: 3.9 %Audubon County: 1.3 %Benton County: 2 %Black Hawk County: 4.6 %Boone County: 1.5 %Bremer County: 3.3 %Buchanan County: 2.8 %Buena Vista County: 5.6 %Butler County: 3.1 %Calhoun County: 2.6 %Carroll County: 1.8 %Cass County: 1.4 %Cedar County: 2.3 %Cerro Gordo County: 2.6 %Cherokee County: 2.5 %Chickasaw County: 1.6 %Clarke County: 4.2 %Clay County: 3.5 %Clayton County: 2.5 %Clinton County: 3.4 %Crawford County: 3.8 %Dallas County: 2.3 %Davis County: 2.7 %Decatur County: 1.9 %Delaware County: 2.1 %Des Moines County: 3.1 %Dickinson County: 3 %Dubuque County: 3.7 %Emmet County: 1.7 %Fayette County: 3.2 %Floyd County: 3.3 %Franklin County: 3.8 %Fremont County: 0.8 %Greene County: 2.3 %Grundy County: 2 %Guthrie County: 3.2 %Hamilton County: 4.9 %Hancock County: 1.9 %Hardin County: 4.3 %Harrison County: 2.3 %Henry County: 1.5 %Howard County: 1.9 %Humboldt County: 5 %Ida County: 2.4 %Iowa County: 1.9 %Jackson County: 5.1 %Jasper County: 5.7 %Jefferson County: 8 %Johnson County: 3.8 %Jones County: 3.6 %Keokuk County: 4.5 %Kossuth County: 1.9 %Lee County: 4.5 %Linn County: 3.5 %Louisa County: 3 %Lucas County: 5.2 %Lyon County: 2.3 %Madison County: 3.5 %Mahaska County: 3.5 %Marion County: 2.2 %Marshall County: 4.3 %Mills County: 2 %Mitchell County: 1.2 %Monona County: 1.6 %Monroe County: 3.1 %Montgomery County: 2.6 %Muscatine County: 3.2 %O'Brien County: 1 %Osceola County: 3.4 %Page County: 5 %Palo Alto County: 2.2 %Plymouth County: 2.2 %Pocahontas County: 5.4 %Polk County: 4.4 %Pottawattamie County: 3.8 %Poweshiek County: 3.6 %Ringgold County: 3.3 %Sac County: 4.4 %Scott County: 3.7 %Shelby County: 3.2 %Sioux County: 1.5 %Story County: 4.8 %Tama County: 3.8 %Taylor County: 3 %Union County: 4 %Van Buren County: 4.1 %Wapello County: 4.3 %Warren County: 3.4 %Washington County: 2.2 %Wayne County: 2.9 %Webster County: 4.8 %Winnebago County: 3 %Winneshiek County: 2.3 %Woodbury County: 4.1 %Worth County: 3.6 %Wright County: 1.8 %
  • Under 1.9
  • 1.9 to 2.4
  • 2.4 to 3.2
  • 3.2 to 3.6
  • 3.6 to 4.3
  • 4.3 and over
%, 2024. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2024

Jefferson County: 8 %Jefferson County8Jasper County: 5.7 %Jasper County5.7Buena Vista County: 5.6 %Buena Vista County5.6Pocahontas County: 5.4 %Pocahontas County5.4Lucas County: 5.2 %Lucas County5.2Jackson County: 5.1 %Jackson County5.1Humboldt County: 5 %Humboldt County5Page County: 5 %Page County5Hamilton County: 4.9 %Hamilton County4.9Webster County: 4.8 %Webster County4.8Story County: 4.8 %Story County4.8Black Hawk County: 4.6 %Black Hawk County4.6Keokuk County: 4.5 %Keokuk County4.5Lee County: 4.5 %Lee County4.5Sac County: 4.4 %Sac County4.4Polk County: 4.4 %Polk County4.4Hardin County: 4.3 %Hardin County4.3Wapello County: 4.3 %Wapello County4.3Marshall County: 4.3 %Marshall County4.3Clarke County: 4.2 %Clarke County4.2Woodbury County: 4.1 %Woodbury County4.1Van Buren County: 4.1 %Van Buren County4.1Union County: 4 %Union County4Adair County: 4 %Adair County4Adams County: 3.9 %Adams County3.9Appanoose County: 3.9 %Appanoose County3.9Tama County: 3.8 %Tama County3.8Crawford County: 3.8 %Crawford County3.8Pottawattamie County: 3.8 %Pottawattamie County3.8Franklin County: 3.8 %Franklin County3.8Johnson County: 3.8 %Johnson County3.8Dubuque County: 3.7 %Dubuque County3.7Scott County: 3.7 %Scott County3.7Poweshiek County: 3.6 %Poweshiek County3.6Jones County: 3.6 %Jones County3.6Worth County: 3.6 %Worth County3.6Clay County: 3.5 %Clay County3.5Mahaska County: 3.5 %Mahaska County3.5Madison County: 3.5 %Madison County3.5Linn County: 3.5 %Linn County3.5Jefferson County: 8 %Jefferson County8Jasper County: 5.7 %Jasper County5.7Buena Vista County: 5.6 %Buena Vista County5.6Pocahontas County: 5.4 %Pocahontas County5.4Lucas County: 5.2 %Lucas County5.2Jackson County: 5.1 %Jackson County5.1Humboldt County: 5 %Humboldt County5Page County: 5 %Page County5Hamilton County: 4.9 %Hamilton County4.9Webster County: 4.8 %Webster County4.8Story County: 4.8 %Story County4.8Black Hawk County: 4.6 %Black Hawk County4.6Keokuk County: 4.5 %Keokuk County4.5Lee County: 4.5 %Lee County4.5Sac County: 4.4 %Sac County4.4Polk County: 4.4 %Polk County4.4Hardin County: 4.3 %Hardin County4.3Wapello County: 4.3 %Wapello County4.3Marshall County: 4.3 %Marshall County4.3Clarke County: 4.2 %Clarke County4.2Woodbury County: 4.1 %Woodbury County4.1Van Buren County: 4.1 %Van Buren County4.1Union County: 4 %Union County4Adair County: 4 %Adair County4Adams County: 3.9 %Adams County3.9Appanoose County: 3.9 %Appanoose County3.9Tama County: 3.8 %Tama County3.8Crawford County: 3.8 %Crawford County3.8Pottawattamie County: 3.8 %Pottawattamie County3.8Franklin County: 3.8 %Franklin County3.8Johnson County: 3.8 %Johnson County3.8Dubuque County: 3.7 %Dubuque County3.7Scott County: 3.7 %Scott County3.7Poweshiek County: 3.6 %Poweshiek County3.6Jones County: 3.6 %Jones County3.6Worth County: 3.6 %Worth County3.6Clay County: 3.5 %Clay County3.5Mahaska County: 3.5 %Mahaska County3.5Madison County: 3.5 %Madison County3.5Linn County: 3.5 %Linn County3.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Jefferson County8+2.7 pts
2Jasper County5.7+0.8 pts
3Buena Vista County5.6+0.5 pts
4Pocahontas County5.4-0.1 pts
5Lucas County5.2+1.4 pts
6Jackson County5.1+0.4 pts
7Humboldt County5+2 pts
8Page County5-0.7 pts
9Hamilton County4.9+0.9 pts
10Webster County4.8+1.1 pts
11Story County4.8-0.2 pts
12Black Hawk County4.6-0.3 pts
13Keokuk County4.5+0.9 pts
14Lee County4.5+0.5 pts
15Sac County4.4+1 pts
16Polk County4.4-0 pts
17Hardin County4.3+0.6 pts
17Wapello County4.3+0.5 pts
19Marshall County4.3+0.2 pts
20Clarke County4.2+0.1 pts
21Woodbury County4.1-0.2 pts
22Van Buren County4.1-0.1 pts
23Union County4-0.5 pts
24Adair County4-0.3 pts
25Adams County3.9+1 pts
26Appanoose County3.9-3.1 pts
27Tama County3.8-0.1 pts
28Crawford County3.8+2.1 pts
29Pottawattamie County3.8-0 pts
30Franklin County3.80 pts
31Johnson County3.8+0.1 pts
32Dubuque County3.7-0.1 pts
33Scott County3.7-0.1 pts
34Poweshiek County3.6-1.2 pts
35Jones County3.6+0.6 pts
36Worth County3.6+0.4 pts
37Clay County3.5-0.5 pts
37Mahaska County3.5+0.2 pts
39Madison County3.5+0.8 pts
40Linn County3.5-0.2 pts
41Warren County3.4+0.4 pts
42Osceola County3.4-1.5 pts
43Clinton County3.4-0.4 pts
44Bremer County3.3-0.3 pts
45Floyd County3.3-0.3 pts
46Ringgold County3.3+1.1 pts
47Guthrie County3.2-0.1 pts
48Fayette County3.2-0.6 pts
48Muscatine County3.2-0.5 pts
50Shelby County3.2-0.1 pts
51Butler County3.1-0.2 pts
51Monroe County3.1+0.2 pts
53Des Moines County3.1-0.1 pts
54Winnebago County3+0.2 pts
55Louisa County3-0.9 pts
56Dickinson County3+0.5 pts
57Taylor County3-0.4 pts
58Wayne County2.9+0.9 pts
59Buchanan County2.8+0.1 pts
60Davis County2.7-0.8 pts
61Montgomery County2.6+0.1 pts
62Cerro Gordo County2.6-0 pts
63Calhoun County2.6-0.3 pts
64Clayton County2.5-0.1 pts
65Cherokee County2.5-0.5 pts
66Allamakee County2.5-1.1 pts
67Ida County2.4+0.5 pts
68Lyon County2.3-0 pts
69Winneshiek County2.30 pts
70Greene County2.3-0.9 pts
71Dallas County2.3-0.6 pts
71Harrison County2.3-0.5 pts
73Cedar County2.3-0.7 pts
74Washington County2.2-0.3 pts
75Palo Alto County2.2-0.5 pts
75Plymouth County2.2+0.3 pts
77Marion County2.2+0.3 pts
78Delaware County2.1-0.1 pts
79Benton County2-0.3 pts
80Mills County2-0.8 pts
81Grundy County2-0.2 pts
82Decatur County1.9-1.3 pts
83Kossuth County1.9-0.2 pts
84Iowa County1.9-0.5 pts
85Hancock County1.9-0.4 pts
86Howard County1.9+0.2 pts
87Wright County1.8+0.1 pts
88Carroll County1.8-0.3 pts
89Emmet County1.7-0.3 pts
90Monona County1.6-0.5 pts
91Chickasaw County1.6-0.3 pts
92Sioux County1.5-0.5 pts
93Boone County1.5+0.2 pts
94Henry County1.5-0.7 pts
95Cass County1.4+0.3 pts
96Audubon County1.3-0.6 pts
97Mitchell County1.2+0.3 pts
98O'Brien County1-0.2 pts
99Fremont County0.8-0.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Iowa by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Iowa by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/iowa-counties. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Iowa by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/iowa-counties.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Iowa by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/iowa-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_iowa_by_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Iowa by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/iowa-counties. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Iowa by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/iowa-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/iowa-counties.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Jefferson County, with 8% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Fremont County, with 0.8% in 2024.

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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Iowa: more rankings