DES MOINES — Thousands of Iowans are quitting their jobs each month, placing the state among the highest in the nation for worker resignations, according to a new analysis of federal labor data.
A study by Template.net, using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, found Iowa had the 13th-highest average resignation rate in the country from September through December 2025.
The analysis found an average of 35,000 Iowans quit their jobs each month during that period. Iowa’s average quits rate was 2.2, meaning monthly quits equaled about 2.2% of employment.
Iowa tied with Oklahoma and Wisconsin for the 13th-highest resignation rate among states included in the study. Alaska ranked first with an average quits rate of 2.83, followed by Indiana at 2.80 and Montana at 2.73.
The numbers do not necessarily mean Iowans are leaving the workforce altogether. In many cases, a high quits rate can signal that workers believe they have other options, whether that means better pay, improved hours, a shorter commute, different working conditions or a new career path.
That context matters in Iowa, where the labor market remains relatively tight. Iowa Workforce Development reported that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.2% in May 2026, down from 3.3% in April and 3.6% one year earlier. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.3% in May.
The number of unemployed Iowans also fell to 56,100 in May, down from 57,200 in April.
The study’s findings suggest Iowa workers may still have enough confidence in the labor market to leave jobs voluntarily, even as employers in many industries continue to compete for workers. Iowa’s economy includes major employment sectors such as manufacturing, health care, education, agriculture-related industries, transportation, construction and technology, all of which can see churn as workers move between employers.
Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the overall U.S. quits rate increased slightly from 1.9 in December 2024 to 2.0 in December 2025, according to the study. That suggests job quitting has not returned to the extreme churn seen during the “Great Resignation” era, but workers in some states remain more willing to move.
A spokesperson for Template.net said Iowa’s ranking may reflect a strong labor market where workers feel confident they can find another opportunity with better pay or hours.
The study calculated average quits rates and quit levels using the latest four months of available state-level data, from September 2025 through December 2025.
Better opportunities out of state.
SMART W0RK I was kind of worried about the entire thing. I’ve never worked from home, But Yeah, (D85) I did just join and all is good. so I will post back how
it goes!_____ https://m0b2pr0w0rld76.blogspot.com/