Counties in Iowa by wages and salaries paid

Polk County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 99 counties in 2016, at $16.55 billion. Adams County had the lowest, at $48.52 million. The median was $229.04 million and the figure for Iowa was $71.74 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest16,545.1Polk County
Lowest48.5Adams County
Median22999 counties
Iowa71,741.7History

Map of counties, 2016

Adair County: 106.8 USD millionAdams County: 48.5 USD millionAllamakee County: 179.5 USD millionAppanoose County: 170.7 USD millionAudubon County: 60.9 USD millionBenton County: 224.8 USD millionBlack Hawk County: 3,368.6 USD millionBoone County: 410.4 USD millionBremer County: 417.3 USD millionBuchanan County: 241.3 USD millionBuena Vista County: 414.3 USD millionButler County: 133.7 USD millionCalhoun County: 114.2 USD millionCarroll County: 452.5 USD millionCass County: 226.7 USD millionCedar County: 211.1 USD millionCerro Gordo County: 1,029.3 USD millionCherokee County: 187.8 USD millionChickasaw County: 192.9 USD millionClarke County: 168.2 USD millionClay County: 358.1 USD millionClayton County: 262.4 USD millionClinton County: 867.1 USD millionCrawford County: 291.4 USD millionDallas County: 2,228.2 USD millionDavis County: 74.2 USD millionDecatur County: 77.6 USD millionDelaware County: 276.6 USD millionDes Moines County: 952.7 USD millionDickinson County: 354.7 USD millionDubuque County: 2,556.7 USD millionEmmet County: 148.1 USD millionFayette County: 258.7 USD millionFloyd County: 246.9 USD millionFranklin County: 162.8 USD millionFremont County: 105.9 USD millionGreene County: 139.1 USD millionGrundy County: 172.7 USD millionGuthrie County: 124.7 USD millionHamilton County: 223.1 USD millionHancock County: 293.7 USD millionHardin County: 270.6 USD millionHarrison County: 164.1 USD millionHenry County: 379.9 USD millionHoward County: 147.1 USD millionHumboldt County: 166.1 USD millionIda County: 162.2 USD millionIowa County: 386.3 USD millionJackson County: 215.7 USD millionJasper County: 445.1 USD millionJefferson County: 299.8 USD millionJohnson County: 4,213.7 USD millionJones County: 242.6 USD millionKeokuk County: 83.1 USD millionKossuth County: 291.3 USD millionLee County: 808.4 USD millionLinn County: 6,879.3 USD millionLouisa County: 148.9 USD millionLucas County: 138.4 USD millionLyon County: 172.3 USD millionMadison County: 144.9 USD millionMahaska County: 317.6 USD millionMarion County: 772.5 USD millionMarshall County: 812.8 USD millionMills County: 163.1 USD millionMitchell County: 155.4 USD millionMonona County: 100.1 USD millionMonroe County: 165.4 USD millionMontgomery County: 161.5 USD millionMuscatine County: 1,175.2 USD millionO'Brien County: 258.8 USD millionOsceola County: 90.1 USD millionPage County: 229 USD millionPalo Alto County: 142.6 USD millionPlymouth County: 520.6 USD millionPocahontas County: 126.1 USD millionPolk County: 16,545.1 USD millionPottawattamie County: 1,597 USD millionPoweshiek County: 423.3 USD millionRinggold County: 51.4 USD millionSac County: 122.7 USD millionScott County: 4,038.9 USD millionShelby County: 224.4 USD millionSioux County: 811.9 USD millionStory County: 2,202.1 USD millionTama County: 208.9 USD millionTaylor County: 70.9 USD millionUnion County: 239.1 USD millionVan Buren County: 75.3 USD millionWapello County: 642.6 USD millionWarren County: 432.3 USD millionWashington County: 306 USD millionWayne County: 69.9 USD millionWebster County: 873.7 USD millionWinnebago County: 160 USD millionWinneshiek County: 407.2 USD millionWoodbury County: 2,437.4 USD millionWorth County: 86.3 USD millionWright County: 229.6 USD million
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 800
  • 800 and over
USD million, 2016. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

Polk County: 16,545.1 USD millionPolk County16,545.1Linn County: 6,879.3 USD millionLinn County6,879.3Johnson County: 4,213.7 USD millionJohnson County4,213.7Scott County: 4,038.9 USD millionScott County4,038.9Black Hawk County: 3,368.6 USD millionBlack Hawk County3,368.6Dubuque County: 2,556.7 USD millionDubuque County2,556.7Woodbury County: 2,437.4 USD millionWoodbury County2,437.4Dallas County: 2,228.2 USD millionDallas County2,228.2Story County: 2,202.1 USD millionStory County2,202.1Pottawattamie County: 1,597 USD millionPottawattamie County1,597Muscatine County: 1,175.2 USD millionMuscatine County1,175.2Cerro Gordo County: 1,029.3 USD millionCerro Gordo County1,029.3Des Moines County: 952.7 USD millionDes Moines County952.7Webster County: 873.7 USD millionWebster County873.7Clinton County: 867.1 USD millionClinton County867.1Marshall County: 812.8 USD millionMarshall County812.8Sioux County: 811.9 USD millionSioux County811.9Lee County: 808.4 USD millionLee County808.4Marion County: 772.5 USD millionMarion County772.5Wapello County: 642.6 USD millionWapello County642.6Plymouth County: 520.6 USD millionPlymouth County520.6Carroll County: 452.5 USD millionCarroll County452.5Jasper County: 445.1 USD millionJasper County445.1Warren County: 432.3 USD millionWarren County432.3Poweshiek County: 423.3 USD millionPoweshiek County423.3Bremer County: 417.3 USD millionBremer County417.3Buena Vista County: 414.3 USD millionBuena Vista County414.3Boone County: 410.4 USD millionBoone County410.4Winneshiek County: 407.2 USD millionWinneshiek County407.2Iowa County: 386.3 USD millionIowa County386.3Henry County: 379.9 USD millionHenry County379.9Clay County: 358.1 USD millionClay County358.1Dickinson County: 354.7 USD millionDickinson County354.7Mahaska County: 317.6 USD millionMahaska County317.6Washington County: 306 USD millionWashington County306Jefferson County: 299.8 USD millionJefferson County299.8Hancock County: 293.7 USD millionHancock County293.7Crawford County: 291.4 USD millionCrawford County291.4Kossuth County: 291.3 USD millionKossuth County291.3Delaware County: 276.6 USD millionDelaware County276.6Polk County: 16,545.1 USD millionPolk County16,545.1Linn County: 6,879.3 USD millionLinn County6,879.3Johnson County: 4,213.7 USD millionJohnson County4,213.7Scott County: 4,038.9 USD millionScott County4,038.9Black Hawk County: 3,368.6 USD millionBlack Hawk County3,368.6Dubuque County: 2,556.7 USD millionDubuque County2,556.7Woodbury County: 2,437.4 USD millionWoodbury County2,437.4Dallas County: 2,228.2 USD millionDallas County2,228.2Story County: 2,202.1 USD millionStory County2,202.1Pottawattamie County: 1,597 USD millionPottawattamie County1,597Muscatine County: 1,175.2 USD millionMuscatine County1,175.2Cerro Gordo County: 1,029.3 USD millionCerro Gordo County1,029.3Des Moines County: 952.7 USD millionDes Moines County952.7Webster County: 873.7 USD millionWebster County873.7Clinton County: 867.1 USD millionClinton County867.1Marshall County: 812.8 USD millionMarshall County812.8Sioux County: 811.9 USD millionSioux County811.9Lee County: 808.4 USD millionLee County808.4Marion County: 772.5 USD millionMarion County772.5Wapello County: 642.6 USD millionWapello County642.6Plymouth County: 520.6 USD millionPlymouth County520.6Carroll County: 452.5 USD millionCarroll County452.5Jasper County: 445.1 USD millionJasper County445.1Warren County: 432.3 USD millionWarren County432.3Poweshiek County: 423.3 USD millionPoweshiek County423.3Bremer County: 417.3 USD millionBremer County417.3Buena Vista County: 414.3 USD millionBuena Vista County414.3Boone County: 410.4 USD millionBoone County410.4Winneshiek County: 407.2 USD millionWinneshiek County407.2Iowa County: 386.3 USD millionIowa County386.3Henry County: 379.9 USD millionHenry County379.9Clay County: 358.1 USD millionClay County358.1Dickinson County: 354.7 USD millionDickinson County354.7Mahaska County: 317.6 USD millionMahaska County317.6Washington County: 306 USD millionWashington County306Jefferson County: 299.8 USD millionJefferson County299.8Hancock County: 293.7 USD millionHancock County293.7Crawford County: 291.4 USD millionCrawford County291.4Kossuth County: 291.3 USD millionKossuth County291.3Delaware County: 276.6 USD millionDelaware County276.6
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016
USD million
Change on 2015
1Polk County16,545.1+4.1%
2Linn County6,879.3+1.4%
3Johnson County4,213.7+4%
4Scott County4,038.9+0.8%
5Black Hawk County3,368.6-0.8%
6Dubuque County2,556.7+0.4%
7Woodbury County2,437.4+6%
8Dallas County2,228.2+4.1%
9Story County2,202.1+1.3%
10Pottawattamie County1,597-1.3%
11Muscatine County1,175.2+5%
12Cerro Gordo County1,029.3+1.6%
13Des Moines County952.7+2.7%
14Webster County873.7+5%
15Clinton County867.1-1%
16Marshall County812.8+3.4%
17Sioux County811.9+2.6%
18Lee County808.4-3.3%
19Marion County772.5+2.4%
20Wapello County642.6-1.3%
21Plymouth County520.6+6.4%
22Carroll County452.5+2.5%
23Jasper County445.1+5%
24Warren County432.3+5.3%
25Poweshiek County423.3+1.7%
26Bremer County417.3+0.8%
27Buena Vista County414.3+5.4%
28Boone County410.4+1.9%
29Winneshiek County407.2+2%
30Iowa County386.3+4.4%
31Henry County379.9+2.9%
32Clay County358.1-0.1%
33Dickinson County354.7-3.2%
34Mahaska County317.6+4.8%
35Washington County306+3.1%
36Jefferson County299.8+5.6%
37Hancock County293.7-0.1%
38Crawford County291.4-1.8%
39Kossuth County291.3+1.9%
40Delaware County276.6+1.8%
41Hardin County270.6-2.2%
42Clayton County262.4+2.3%
43O'Brien County258.8+1.5%
44Fayette County258.7+2.2%
45Floyd County246.9+1.2%
46Jones County242.6-1%
47Buchanan County241.3+1%
48Union County239.1+0.5%
49Wright County229.6-4.7%
50Page County229+0.2%
51Cass County226.7+1.9%
52Benton County224.8+1.8%
53Shelby County224.4-1%
54Hamilton County223.1+2.1%
55Jackson County215.7+1.9%
56Cedar County211.1-0.7%
57Tama County208.9+7.3%
58Chickasaw County192.9+3.8%
59Cherokee County187.8+5.5%
60Allamakee County179.5+3%
61Grundy County172.7+1.8%
62Lyon County172.3+3%
63Appanoose County170.7+1.4%
64Clarke County168.2+6%
65Humboldt County166.1+6.7%
66Monroe County165.4+0.5%
67Harrison County164.1+2.3%
68Mills County163.1-0.2%
69Franklin County162.8-1.8%
70Ida County162.2+6.7%
71Montgomery County161.5+1.6%
72Winnebago County160+3%
73Mitchell County155.4+6.8%
74Louisa County148.9+4.2%
75Emmet County148.1-0.6%
76Howard County147.1-1%
77Madison County144.9+5%
78Palo Alto County142.6+5.4%
79Greene County139.1+2.7%
80Lucas County138.4+4.5%
81Butler County133.7-3.2%
82Pocahontas County126.1+7.4%
83Guthrie County124.7+0.8%
84Sac County122.7-0.3%
85Calhoun County114.2+11.1%
86Adair County106.8+4.4%
87Fremont County105.9-8.2%
88Monona County100.1+2.4%
89Osceola County90.1+4.2%
90Worth County86.3+4.6%
91Keokuk County83.1-1.9%
92Decatur County77.6+3.3%
93Van Buren County75.3+17%
94Davis County74.2+7.1%
95Taylor County70.90%
96Wayne County69.9-0.3%
97Audubon County60.9+2.9%
98Ringgold County51.4-0.8%
99Adams County48.5-3.2%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages and salaries paid to employees for jobs located in a place, including tips, bonuses and pay in kind, before deductions, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC4 line 50 for the nation and states and CAINC4 line 50 for counties.

Counted where the jobs are, not where the workers live, so places with many commuters coming in can pay more in wages than their residents receive in personal income (the District of Columbia does). Excludes employer contributions to pensions, insurance and social security, and the income of the self-employed.

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. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. 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. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2026). CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in Iowa by wages and salaries paid, 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip

MLA 9

CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Iowa by wages and salaries paid, 2016. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/iowa-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in Iowa by wages and salaries paid, 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/iowa-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Iowa by wages and salaries paid, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/iowa-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_iowa_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Iowa by wages and salaries paid, 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/iowa-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Iowa by wages and salaries paid, 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/iowa-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/iowa-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in Iowa by wages and salaries paid using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"wages_and_salaries","level":"province","within":"Iowa","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=wages_and_salaries&level=province&within=Iowa&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Polk County, with $16.55 billion in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Adams County, with $48.52 million in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Wages and salaries paid: other rankings

Counties in Iowa: more rankings