Posted 25 November, 2025
The internationally acclaimed Iowa State Fair is the state's largest event and one of the oldest and largest agricultural and industrial expositions in the country. A 2025 study conducted by Johnson Consulting found that the economic impact from the Iowa State Fair and Fairgrounds' year-round activities for the state of Iowa totaled $629.2 million in 2024.
The economic impact findings were shared with the public by Iowa State Fair CEO and Manager Jeremy Parsons on Wednesday, November 19, during a coffee-and-conversation event held at the Elwell Family Food Center on the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
The study revealed the Iowa State Fair and Fairgrounds’ 2024 total economic impact, including:
- 81,400 hotel room nights generated
- 4,880 ongoing jobs sustained
- $211.9 million in wages created
- $17 million state fiscal impact
The economic impact of the eleven-day Iowa State Fair is comparable to other 2024 events, including the Kentucky Derby ($405M), the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four in San Antonio ($429M), the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Austin, Texas ($434-480M), and a three-show run of the Taylor Swift Eras Tour in New Orleans ($500M).
According to the nationwide portion of the same study by the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) and Johnson Consulting, fairgrounds across the United States have a $52 billion economic impact and generate $17.6 billion in wages. Furthermore, 29% of the U.S. population attends a fair each year, more than the combined attendance of Major League Baseball and the NFL.