Posted 8 May, 2026
Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased slightly to 3.3 percent in March from 3.4 percent in February. The state’s jobless rate was 3.6 percent one year ago. The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent in March.
The total number of unemployed Iowans decreased to 58,100 in March from 58,700 in February.
The total number of working Iowans dropped to 1,680,700 in March. This figure is 2,200 lower than in February and 7,200 higher than one year ago. The labor force participation rate decreased slightly from 67.8 percent in February to 67.7 percent in March.
"Not surprisingly, one of Iowa's two largest industries provides a bright spot in the March report,” said Beth Townsend, Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development. “While other sectors have had ups and downs in recent months, health care and social assistance added 1,100 jobs in March and is now up 4,300 workers over the past year, continuing to build upon an all-time high. With more than 54,000 open positions on IowaWORKS.gov, Iowa continues to have numerous opportunities for anyone interested in careers in health care or any other field of interest.”