IOWA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FIELD INFORMATION MEMO
NO: 22-04
TYPE: General
TOPIC: Average Unemployment Rates by Region
| Region | Rate |
|---|---|
| Northeast Iowa LWDA | 3.4 |
| North Central Iowa LWDA | 3.4 |
| Northwest Iowa LWDA | 2.5 |
| Western Iowa LWDA | 3.1 |
| Central Iowa LWDA | 3.1 |
| Southwest Iowa LWDA | 2.9 |
| South Central Iowa LWDA | 3.8 |
| East Central Iowa LWDA | 3.4 |
| Mississippi Valley LWDA | 4.2 |
Purpose
Identifying potential Areas of Substantial Unemployment (ASUs) for PY 2023 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 2021 through June 2022 and is similar to the report provided in November 2021.
Substance
Enclosed is a table of the average unemployment rates for Iowa’s regions for the time period stated above. These data were developed as part of our process to identify potential Areas of Substantial Unemployment for PY2023 allocations to states. In order 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 3.4 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 fourteen areas within Iowa, created with the addition method. These areas are: Cedar Rapids city containing 18 census tracts, Clinton city containing 4 census tracts, Des Moines city containing 37 census tracts, Des Moines County containing 8 census tracts, Keokuk city containing 4 census tracts, Marshall County containing 10 census tracts, Muscatine city containing 3 census tracts, Scott County containing 22 census tracts, Sioux City city containing 5 census tracts, Fort Dodge city containing 5 census tracts, Waterloo city containing 19 census tracts, Eastern Iowa Counties containing 15 census tracts, NE Iowa Counties containing 5 census tracts and Central Iowa Counties containing 4 census tracts. Maps of these ASUs are enclosed.
Action
The data are for your information and may be provided to your Regional Workforce Investment Board.
Contact
Kris Henze at
Beth Townsend
Director
Iowa Workforce Development
