Posted 13 January, 2026
Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in November – up from 3.3 percent one year ago but down from 3.7 percent in September. There is no October rate due to the government shutdown. The labor force participation rate was 67.5 percent in November, equaling the September rate and 0.6 percentage points higher than the November 2024 rate of 66.9 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.6 percent in November.
The total number of unemployed Iowans increased by 5,100 compared to November 2024.
The total number of working Iowans was 1,683,000 in November. This figure is 22,400 higher than one year ago. Iowa’s labor force saw an increase of 27,500 individuals compared to November 2024.
“November’s report is an indication that the increase we’ve seen over the last few months in labor force participation is translating to more people working,” said Beth Townsend, Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development. “Led by gains in health services, wholesale trade, and construction, Iowa saw strong hiring nearly across the board in November and ended with 9,000 more jobs than the year before – a trend we hope continues in future reports.”