Average Unemployment Rates by Region (2024)
The Areas of Substantial Unemployment (ASUs) program provides information on areas that are eligible to receive allocated funds of key workforce programs. The purpose of the following memo is to identify potential ASUs for PY 2024 allocations to states.
Iowa Workforce Development Field Information Memo
Date:
December 13, 2024
Purpose:
Identifying potential Areas of Substantial Unemployment (ASUs) for PY 2025 allocations to states.
Background:
This is a continuation of the Areas of Substantial Unemployment program. It is provided by the Labor Market Information Division of Iowa Workforce Development as part of the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program. It covers the time period from July 2023 through June 2024 and is similar to the report provided in November 2023.
Substance:
Enclosed is a table of the average unemployment rates for Iowaβs regions for the time period stated above. These data were developed as part of our process to identify potential Areas of Substantial Unemployment for PY2025 allocations to states. To be designated as an ASU, an area must have a current population of at least 10,000 and an average unemployment rate of at least 6.5 percent for the reference period.
The average unemployment rate for the state of Iowa for the reference period is 2.9 percent. Since the statewide rate does not qualify the state as a whole as an ASU, our department has submitted the necessary paperwork to designate eight areas within Iowa, created with the addition method. These areas are Cedar Rapids City containing six census tracts, Des Moines City containing seventeen census tracts, Burlington City containing five census tracts, Marshall County containing ten census tracts, Scott County containing seventeen census tracts, Waterloo City containing sixteen census tracts, Dubuque County containing eight census tracts and Jackson Jones Counties containing six census tracts. Maps of these ASUs are enclosed.
Action:
The data is for your information and may be provided to your Regional Workforce Investment Board.
Contact:
Kris Henze
Kris.Henze@iwd.iowa.gov
(515) 281-3890
Iowa Unemployment Rates for WIOA Regions
| Region | Rate |
|---|---|
| Iowa Plains LWDA | 2.6 |
| Northeast Iowa LWDA | 3.0 |
| Central Iowa LWDA | 2.7 |
| South Central Iowa LWDA | 3.5 |
| East Central Iowa LWDA | 3.0 |
| Mississippi Valley LWDA | 3.5 |