Iowa unemployment falls to 3.3% as labour force participation slips

8 articles · Updated · Radio Iowa · May 6

Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend said March participation fell 0.1 percentage point and about 54,000 jobs remain posted on the agency's website.
Townsend said 2026 has so far shown little volatility or clear trend, with employers still seeking skilled workers, especially in healthcare and nursing.
She said broader national developments in the first quarter may be affecting employers, with May data expected to give a clearer picture of second-quarter direction.

With 54,000 open jobs, is Iowa's core problem a skills gap or a wage and retention crisis?

As Iowa's youth departs, can new training grants solve a demographic crisis decades in the making?