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

Appanoose County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 99 counties in 2023, at 6.9%. Mitchell County had the lowest, at 0.9%. 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.
Median3.299 counties
Iowa3.6History

Map of counties, 2023

Adair County: 4.2 %Adams County: 2.9 %Allamakee County: 3.6 %Appanoose County: 6.9 %Audubon County: 1.9 %Benton County: 2.3 %Black Hawk County: 4.8 %Boone County: 1.3 %Bremer County: 3.6 %Buchanan County: 2.7 %Buena Vista County: 5 %Butler County: 3.4 %Calhoun County: 2.8 %Carroll County: 2.1 %Cass County: 1.1 %Cedar County: 2.9 %Cerro Gordo County: 2.6 %Cherokee County: 3 %Chickasaw County: 1.8 %Clarke County: 4.1 %Clay County: 4 %Clayton County: 2.6 %Clinton County: 3.8 %Crawford County: 1.7 %Dallas County: 2.9 %Davis County: 3.5 %Decatur County: 3.2 %Delaware County: 2.1 %Des Moines County: 3.2 %Dickinson County: 2.4 %Dubuque County: 3.8 %Emmet County: 2 %Fayette County: 3.8 %Floyd County: 3.5 %Franklin County: 3.8 %Fremont County: 1 %Greene County: 3.2 %Grundy County: 2.2 %Guthrie County: 3.3 %Hamilton County: 4 %Hancock County: 2.2 %Hardin County: 3.7 %Harrison County: 2.8 %Henry County: 2.2 %Howard County: 1.7 %Humboldt County: 3.1 %Ida County: 1.9 %Iowa County: 2.4 %Jackson County: 4.7 %Jasper County: 4.9 %Jefferson County: 5.3 %Johnson County: 3.7 %Jones County: 2.9 %Keokuk County: 3.6 %Kossuth County: 2.1 %Lee County: 4 %Linn County: 3.7 %Louisa County: 3.9 %Lucas County: 3.8 %Lyon County: 2.4 %Madison County: 2.7 %Mahaska County: 3.3 %Marion County: 1.9 %Marshall County: 4 %Mills County: 2.8 %Mitchell County: 0.9 %Monona County: 2.1 %Monroe County: 2.9 %Montgomery County: 2.6 %Muscatine County: 3.7 %O'Brien County: 1.2 %Osceola County: 4.9 %Page County: 5.7 %Palo Alto County: 2.7 %Plymouth County: 1.9 %Pocahontas County: 5.5 %Polk County: 4.4 %Pottawattamie County: 3.8 %Poweshiek County: 4.9 %Ringgold County: 2.2 %Sac County: 3.4 %Scott County: 3.7 %Shelby County: 3.3 %Sioux County: 2 %Story County: 5 %Tama County: 4 %Taylor County: 3.4 %Union County: 4.6 %Van Buren County: 4.2 %Wapello County: 3.8 %Warren County: 3 %Washington County: 2.5 %Wayne County: 2 %Webster County: 3.8 %Winnebago County: 2.8 %Winneshiek County: 2.3 %Woodbury County: 4.3 %Worth County: 3.2 %Wright County: 1.7 %
  • Under 2.1
  • 2.1 to 2.7
  • 2.7 to 3.2
  • 3.2 to 3.7
  • 3.7 to 4.1
  • 4.1 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

Appanoose County: 6.9 %Appanoose County6.9Page County: 5.7 %Page County5.7Pocahontas County: 5.5 %Pocahontas County5.5Jefferson County: 5.3 %Jefferson County5.3Buena Vista County: 5 %Buena Vista County5Story County: 5 %Story County5Jasper County: 4.9 %Jasper County4.9Osceola County: 4.9 %Osceola County4.9Poweshiek County: 4.9 %Poweshiek County4.9Black Hawk County: 4.8 %Black Hawk County4.8Jackson County: 4.7 %Jackson County4.7Union County: 4.6 %Union County4.6Polk County: 4.4 %Polk County4.4Woodbury County: 4.3 %Woodbury County4.3Adair County: 4.2 %Adair County4.2Van Buren County: 4.2 %Van Buren County4.2Clarke County: 4.1 %Clarke County4.1Marshall County: 4 %Marshall County4Lee County: 4 %Lee County4Tama County: 4 %Tama County4Clay County: 4 %Clay County4Hamilton County: 4 %Hamilton County4Louisa County: 3.9 %Louisa County3.9Fayette County: 3.8 %Fayette County3.8Pottawattamie County: 3.8 %Pottawattamie County3.8Clinton County: 3.8 %Clinton County3.8Dubuque County: 3.8 %Dubuque County3.8Lucas County: 3.8 %Lucas County3.8Webster County: 3.8 %Webster County3.8Franklin County: 3.8 %Franklin County3.8Wapello County: 3.8 %Wapello County3.8Scott County: 3.7 %Scott County3.7Hardin County: 3.7 %Hardin County3.7Muscatine County: 3.7 %Muscatine County3.7Linn County: 3.7 %Linn County3.7Johnson County: 3.7 %Johnson County3.7Bremer County: 3.6 %Bremer County3.6Allamakee County: 3.6 %Allamakee County3.6Keokuk County: 3.6 %Keokuk County3.6Floyd County: 3.5 %Floyd County3.5Appanoose County: 6.9 %Appanoose County6.9Page County: 5.7 %Page County5.7Pocahontas County: 5.5 %Pocahontas County5.5Jefferson County: 5.3 %Jefferson County5.3Buena Vista County: 5 %Buena Vista County5Story County: 5 %Story County5Jasper County: 4.9 %Jasper County4.9Osceola County: 4.9 %Osceola County4.9Poweshiek County: 4.9 %Poweshiek County4.9Black Hawk County: 4.8 %Black Hawk County4.8Jackson County: 4.7 %Jackson County4.7Union County: 4.6 %Union County4.6Polk County: 4.4 %Polk County4.4Woodbury County: 4.3 %Woodbury County4.3Adair County: 4.2 %Adair County4.2Van Buren County: 4.2 %Van Buren County4.2Clarke County: 4.1 %Clarke County4.1Marshall County: 4 %Marshall County4Lee County: 4 %Lee County4Tama County: 4 %Tama County4Clay County: 4 %Clay County4Hamilton County: 4 %Hamilton County4Louisa County: 3.9 %Louisa County3.9Fayette County: 3.8 %Fayette County3.8Pottawattamie County: 3.8 %Pottawattamie County3.8Clinton County: 3.8 %Clinton County3.8Dubuque County: 3.8 %Dubuque County3.8Lucas County: 3.8 %Lucas County3.8Webster County: 3.8 %Webster County3.8Franklin County: 3.8 %Franklin County3.8Wapello County: 3.8 %Wapello County3.8Scott County: 3.7 %Scott County3.7Hardin County: 3.7 %Hardin County3.7Muscatine County: 3.7 %Muscatine County3.7Linn County: 3.7 %Linn County3.7Johnson County: 3.7 %Johnson County3.7Bremer County: 3.6 %Bremer County3.6Allamakee County: 3.6 %Allamakee County3.6Keokuk County: 3.6 %Keokuk County3.6Floyd County: 3.5 %Floyd County3.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Appanoose County6.9+0.8 pts
2Page County5.7-0.8 pts
3Pocahontas County5.5-0.8 pts
4Jefferson County5.3+0.1 pts
5Buena Vista County50 pts
6Story County5-0.6 pts
7Jasper County4.9+0.1 pts
7Osceola County4.9+0.4 pts
9Poweshiek County4.9+0.3 pts
10Black Hawk County4.8-0.4 pts
11Jackson County4.7+0.5 pts
12Union County4.6-1.2 pts
13Polk County4.4-0.1 pts
14Woodbury County4.3-0.2 pts
15Adair County4.2+0.3 pts
16Van Buren County4.2-0.7 pts
17Clarke County4.1+0.2 pts
18Marshall County4-1.5 pts
19Lee County4-0.6 pts
20Tama County4-0.6 pts
21Clay County4-0.2 pts
22Hamilton County4-0 pts
23Louisa County3.9-0.6 pts
24Fayette County3.8+0.1 pts
25Pottawattamie County3.8+0.3 pts
26Clinton County3.8-0.6 pts
27Dubuque County3.8-0.4 pts
27Lucas County3.8-0.2 pts
27Webster County3.8+0.5 pts
30Franklin County3.8-0 pts
31Wapello County3.8-0.6 pts
32Scott County3.7-0.2 pts
33Hardin County3.7+0.2 pts
33Muscatine County3.7+0.1 pts
35Linn County3.7-0.1 pts
36Johnson County3.7-0.2 pts
37Bremer County3.6+0.4 pts
38Allamakee County3.6+0.4 pts
39Keokuk County3.6-0.1 pts
40Floyd County3.5+0.2 pts
41Davis County3.5+1.5 pts
42Sac County3.4+0.2 pts
43Butler County3.4-0.5 pts
44Taylor County3.4+0.1 pts
45Guthrie County3.30 pts
45Mahaska County3.3-0 pts
45Shelby County3.3+0.8 pts
48Greene County3.2-0.3 pts
49Decatur County3.2-0.9 pts
50Worth County3.2-0.1 pts
51Des Moines County3.2+0.3 pts
52Humboldt County3.1+0.5 pts
53Warren County3-0.1 pts
54Cherokee County3-0.2 pts
55Adams County2.9-1.3 pts
56Cedar County2.9-0.1 pts
56Dallas County2.9-0.1 pts
56Monroe County2.9-0.5 pts
59Jones County2.9-0.2 pts
60Calhoun County2.8+0.1 pts
61Winnebago County2.8+0.2 pts
62Harrison County2.80 pts
62Mills County2.8-1.6 pts
64Palo Alto County2.7-0.9 pts
65Buchanan County2.7-0.3 pts
66Madison County2.7+0.4 pts
67Cerro Gordo County2.6-0.4 pts
68Clayton County2.6-0.1 pts
69Montgomery County2.6-1.9 pts
70Washington County2.5-0.1 pts
71Dickinson County2.4+0.3 pts
71Iowa County2.4-0.7 pts
73Lyon County2.4-0.1 pts
74Benton County2.3-0 pts
75Winneshiek County2.3+0.2 pts
76Hancock County2.2+0.1 pts
77Grundy County2.2-0.3 pts
77Henry County2.2-0.5 pts
77Ringgold County2.2+0.5 pts
80Kossuth County2.1-1.7 pts
81Delaware County2.1-0.1 pts
82Monona County2.1-0.5 pts
83Carroll County2.1+0.1 pts
84Wayne County2+0.4 pts
85Sioux County2-0.3 pts
86Emmet County2-0.2 pts
87Ida County1.9-0.1 pts
88Marion County1.9-0.4 pts
89Audubon County1.9+1.2 pts
89Plymouth County1.9-0.2 pts
91Chickasaw County1.8-0.3 pts
92Crawford County1.7-2.3 pts
93Wright County1.7-0.5 pts
94Howard County1.7+0.2 pts
95Boone County1.30 pts
96O'Brien County1.2-1.2 pts
97Cass County1.1-0.3 pts
98Fremont County1-0.7 pts
99Mitchell County0.90 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/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: 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), 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: 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), 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/unemployment-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: 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), 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/unemployment-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2023.

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), 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/unemployment-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: 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), 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/unemployment-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2023. 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/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: 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), 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/unemployment-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

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

Appanoose County, with 6.9% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Mitchell County, with 0.9% 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: 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