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Economy at a Glance
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Ames, IA

Ames, IA
Data Series Back
Data		 Aug
2025		 Sept
2025		 Oct
2025		 Nov
2025		 Dec
2025		 Jan
2026

Labor Force Data

Civilian Labor Force(1)

 69.7 72.2 (2)- 72.2 (p)71.6  

Employment(1)

 67.4 70.4 (2)- 70.4 (p)69.8  

Unemployment(1)

 2.2 1.8 (2)- 1.8 (p)1.7  

Unemployment Rate(3)

 3.2 2.5 (2)- 2.5 (p)2.4  

Nonfarm Wage and Salary Employment

Total Nonfarm(4)

 59.2 63.8 64.1 64.1 63.6 (p)61.9

12-month % change

 -1.3 -1.8 -2.3 -2.7 -2.6 (p)0.0

Mining and Logging(4)

 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 (p)0.1

12-month % change

 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 (p)0.0

Construction(4)

 2.9 2.8 2.7 2.7 2.6 (p)2.5

12-month % change

 3.6 3.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 (p)8.7

Manufacturing(4)

 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 (p)5.3

12-month % change

 -5.4 -5.4 -3.6 -3.6 -3.6 (p)-1.9

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities(4)

 8.9 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.2 (p)9.0

12-month % change

 -3.3 -3.2 -3.2 -3.1 -4.2 (p)-3.2

Information(4)

 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 (p)0.7

12-month % change

 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 (p)0.0

Financial Activities(4)

 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1 (p)2.1

12-month % change

 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 (p)5.0

Professional and Business Services(4)

 5.7 5.5 5.6 5.5 5.4 (p)5.4

12-month % change

 -3.4 -3.5 -3.4 -5.2 -3.6 (p)0.0

Education and Health Services(4)

 6.2 6.2 6.3 6.3 6.3 (p)6.3

12-month % change

 3.3 3.3 1.6 0.0 0.0 (p)1.6

Leisure and Hospitality(4)

 5.5 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.6 (p)5.5

12-month % change

 -3.5 -4.9 -6.5 -4.9 -6.7 (p)3.8

Other Services(4)

 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.5 (p)1.5

12-month % change

 0.0 -6.3 0.0 -6.3 -6.3 (p)0.0

Government(4)

 20.2 24.7 24.6 24.7 24.7 (p)23.5

12-month % change

 -0.5 -1.2 -2.0 -2.4 -1.6 (p)-0.8

Footnotes
(1) Number of persons, in thousands, not seasonally adjusted.
(2) Data unavailable due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations.
(3) In percent, not seasonally adjusted.
(4) Number of jobs, in thousands, not seasonally adjusted. See About the data.
(p) Preliminary

Data extracted on: April 10, 2026

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Note: More data series, including additional geographic areas, are available through the "Databases & Tables" tab at the top of this page.

 

Geographically based survey data available from BLS:

Employment & Unemployment

Prices & Living Conditions

Compensation & Working Conditions