From September 2025 to December 2025, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Iowa were 81,954, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 70,010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 11,944 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2025. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 15,174. (See chart 1.)

The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses is the net change in employment. (See the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.)

Gross job gains

In the fourth quarter of 2025, gross job gains represented 6.3 percent of private-sector employment in Iowa; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.9 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) Gross job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the addition of new jobs at opening establishments. In Iowa, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 62,048 in the fourth quarter of 2025, an increase of 7,581 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 19,906 jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2025, an increase of 12,350 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job losses

In the fourth quarter of 2025, gross job losses represented 5.4 percent of private-sector employment in Iowa; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.5 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In Iowa, contracting establishments lost 57,285 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2025, a decrease of 3,711 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 12,725 jobs, a decrease of 3,476 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 9 of the 10 published industry sectors in Iowa in the fourth quarter of 2025. Leisure and hospitality had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 3,345 jobs. This was the result of 16,032 gross job gains and 12,687 gross job losses. The construction industry had a net gain of 2,969 jobs. Retail trade showed a net loss of 994 jobs, the only sector reporting job losses in the state.

For more information

The BED data series includes gross job gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size class. BED data for the states have been included in table 2 of this release. Additional information is available online at the Business Employment Dynamics homepage and the Business Employment Dynamics Summary.

The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2026 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. (CT).

Technical Note

The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records.

More information on formal definitions of the data used in this release, along with coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.

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Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Iowa, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	73,268	75,001	73,435	62,023	81,954	5.6	5.8	5.6	4.8	6.3
At expanding establishments	57,403	59,599	60,202	54,467	62,048	4.4	4.6	4.6	4.2	4.8
At opening establishments	15,865	15,402	13,233	7,556	19,906	1.2	1.2	1.0	0.6	1.5
Gross job losses	73,301	71,372	76,285	77,197	70,010	5.6	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.4
At contracting establishments	61,448	58,608	64,109	60,996	57,285	4.7	4.5	4.9	4.7	4.4
At closing establishments	11,853	12,764	12,176	16,201	12,725	0.9	1.0	0.9	1.2	1.0
Net employment change (2)	-33	3,629	-2,850	-15,174	11,944	0.0	0.3	-0.2	-1.1	0.9
Construction
Gross job gains	7,217	9,209	7,761	7,780	10,949	8.7	10.8	9.1	9.4	12.9
At expanding establishments	5,809	7,090	6,559	6,944	7,941	7.0	8.3	7.7	8.4	9.4
At opening establishments	1,408	2,119	1,202	836	3,008	1.7	2.5	1.4	1.0	3.5
Gross job losses	7,868	7,369	7,944	7,805	7,980	9.5	8.6	9.3	9.4	9.4
At contracting establishments	6,417	6,178	6,754	5,811	6,501	7.7	7.2	7.9	7.0	7.7
At closing establishments	1,451	1,191	1,190	1,994	1,479	1.8	1.4	1.4	2.4	1.7
Net employment change (2)	-651	1,840	-183	-25	2,969	-0.8	2.2	-0.2	0.0	3.5
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	5,440	7,362	5,610	3,787	5,966	2.5	3.4	2.6	1.7	2.8
At expanding establishments	4,983	6,925	5,174	3,690	5,278	2.3	3.2	2.4	1.7	2.5
At opening establishments	457	437	436	97	688	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.0	0.3
Gross job losses	8,228	7,127	6,796	6,932	5,091	3.8	3.3	3.1	3.2	2.4
At contracting establishments	7,818	6,685	5,717	6,479	4,447	3.6	3.1	2.6	3.0	2.1
At closing establishments	410	442	1,079	453	644	0.2	0.2	0.5	0.2	0.3
Net employment change (2)	-2,788	235	-1,186	-3,145	875	-1.3	0.1	-0.5	-1.5	0.4
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	3,323	3,420	2,765	2,535	3,229	5.0	5.1	4.1	3.8	4.9
At expanding establishments	2,686	2,751	2,281	2,172	2,693	4.0	4.1	3.4	3.3	4.1
At opening establishments	637	669	484	363	536	1.0	1.0	0.7	0.5	0.8
Gross job losses	2,822	3,423	3,412	3,408	2,876	4.2	5.1	5.1	5.2	4.4
At contracting establishments	2,344	2,889	2,841	2,875	2,346	3.5	4.3	4.2	4.4	3.6
At closing establishments	478	534	571	533	530	0.7	0.8	0.9	0.8	0.8
Net employment change (2)	501	-3	-647	-873	353	0.8	0.0	-1.0	-1.4	0.5
Retail trade
Gross job gains	8,029	8,651	7,972	8,053	7,877	4.7	5.0	4.6	4.6	4.6
At expanding establishments	7,050	7,745	6,974	7,503	6,410	4.1	4.5	4.0	4.3	3.7
At opening establishments	979	906	998	550	1,467	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.3	0.9
Gross job losses	8,752	7,542	9,548	8,950	8,871	5.1	4.4	5.5	5.2	5.2
At contracting establishments	7,868	6,694	8,507	7,580	7,823	4.6	3.9	4.9	4.4	4.6
At closing establishments	884	848	1,041	1,370	1,048	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.8	0.6
Net employment change (2)	-723	1,109	-1,576	-897	-994	-0.4	0.6	-0.9	-0.6	-0.6
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	4,787	2,860	5,446	3,125	5,215	7.6	4.5	8.7	5.0	8.2
At expanding establishments	3,042	2,182	5,020	2,954	4,426	4.8	3.4	8.0	4.7	7.0
At opening establishments	1,745	678	426	171	789	2.8	1.1	0.7	0.3	1.2
Gross job losses	3,098	3,874	6,174	3,986	3,420	4.9	6.1	9.8	6.3	5.4
At contracting establishments	2,472	3,343	5,728	3,399	2,822	3.9	5.3	9.1	5.4	4.5
At closing establishments	626	531	446	587	598	1.0	0.8	0.7	0.9	0.9
Net employment change (2)	1,689	-1,014	-728	-861	1,795	2.7	-1.6	-1.1	-1.3	2.8
Financial activities
Gross job gains	3,481	3,589	3,958	3,101	3,756	3.3	3.4	3.8	3.0	3.6
At expanding establishments	2,570	2,809	3,150	2,514	2,691	2.4	2.7	3.0	2.4	2.6
At opening establishments	911	780	808	587	1,065	0.9	0.7	0.8	0.6	1.0
Gross job losses	3,567	3,856	4,067	4,260	3,590	3.4	3.7	3.9	4.1	3.4
At contracting establishments	2,752	3,029	3,033	3,324	2,746	2.6	2.9	2.9	3.2	2.6
At closing establishments	815	827	1,034	936	844	0.8	0.8	1.0	0.9	0.8
Net employment change (2)	-86	-267	-109	-1,159	166	-0.1	-0.3	-0.1	-1.1	0.2
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	9,311	9,033	10,202	8,944	11,169	6.4	6.4	7.1	6.3	7.8
At expanding establishments	6,408	6,674	7,733	7,426	7,871	4.4	4.7	5.4	5.2	5.5
At opening establishments	2,903	2,359	2,469	1,518	3,298	2.0	1.7	1.7	1.1	2.3
Gross job losses	11,034	9,229	9,504	10,823	10,342	7.7	6.5	6.6	7.6	7.3
At contracting establishments	8,646	7,090	7,457	7,665	7,801	6.0	5.0	5.2	5.4	5.5
At closing establishments	2,388	2,139	2,047	3,158	2,541	1.7	1.5	1.4	2.2	1.8
Net employment change (2)	-1,723	-196	698	-1,879	827	-1.3	-0.1	0.5	-1.3	0.5
Education and health services
Gross job gains	11,540	10,234	9,951	9,383	11,406	5.3	4.6	4.5	4.2	5.1
At expanding establishments	9,180	8,458	7,796	8,486	8,707	4.2	3.8	3.5	3.8	3.9
At opening establishments	2,360	1,776	2,155	897	2,699	1.1	0.8	1.0	0.4	1.2
Gross job losses	9,451	9,456	9,699	9,440	9,213	4.3	4.3	4.4	4.3	4.1
At contracting establishments	7,648	7,505	8,421	7,493	7,360	3.5	3.4	3.8	3.4	3.3
At closing establishments	1,803	1,951	1,278	1,947	1,853	0.8	0.9	0.6	0.9	0.8
Net employment change (2)	2,089	778	252	-57	2,193	1.0	0.3	0.1	-0.1	1.0
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	14,363	15,322	14,151	10,224	16,032	10.1	10.6	9.8	7.2	11.2
At expanding establishments	11,234	11,100	11,063	8,352	11,565	7.9	7.7	7.7	5.9	8.1
At opening establishments	3,129	4,222	3,088	1,872	4,467	2.2	2.9	2.1	1.3	3.1
Gross job losses	13,080	13,560	13,135	15,644	12,687	9.2	9.5	9.1	10.9	8.9
At contracting establishments	10,895	10,440	11,001	12,178	10,642	7.7	7.3	7.6	8.5	7.5
At closing establishments	2,185	3,120	2,134	3,466	2,045	1.5	2.2	1.5	2.4	1.4
Net employment change (2)	1,283	1,762	1,016	-5,420	3,345	0.9	1.1	0.7	-3.7	2.3
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	2,723	2,764	2,651	2,513	2,999	6.8	6.8	6.6	6.2	7.5
At expanding establishments	2,091	2,066	2,099	2,096	2,073	5.2	5.1	5.2	5.2	5.2
At opening establishments	632	698	552	417	926	1.6	1.7	1.4	1.0	2.3
Gross job losses	2,555	2,694	2,473	3,080	2,746	6.3	6.7	6.1	7.8	6.9
At contracting establishments	2,137	2,161	1,983	2,099	2,069	5.3	5.4	4.9	5.3	5.2
At closing establishments	418	533	490	981	677	1.0	1.3	1.2	2.5	1.7
Net employment change (2)	168	70	178	-567	253	0.5	0.1	0.5	-1.6	0.6
Footnotes: (1) Includes unclassified sector not shown separately. (2) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. (3) Except public administration.

Table 2. Private-sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains as a percent of employment (3 months ended)					Gross job losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025
United States(1)	5.9	5.6	5.7	5.6	5.9	5.7	5.4	6.0	5.7	5.5
Alabama	5.8	5.3	5.5	5.4	6.1	5.3	5.6	5.6	5.5	5.4
Alaska	10.3	10.0	9.9	7.5	11.8	9.5	8.1	10.3	10.0	9.3
Arizona	6.1	5.8	5.3	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.3	6.3	5.5	5.4
Arkansas	5.8	5.1	5.1	5.3	6.0	4.8	5.1	5.5	5.3	5.0
California	6.7	6.0	6.6	6.2	6.8	6.4	6.2	6.7	6.0	6.1
Colorado	6.2	6.2	6.4	6.5	6.2	6.5	6.8	7.1	6.5	6.4
Connecticut	5.5	5.6	5.8	5.3	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.8	5.9	5.5
Delaware	6.1	5.9	5.9	5.3	5.5	6.3	5.3	6.1	6.1	5.5
District of Columbia	5.0	4.8	5.7	4.6	5.2	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.9	5.0
Florida	6.0	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.9	6.2	5.5	5.8	6.0	5.7
Georgia	6.0	5.5	5.5	5.7	5.9	5.4	5.7	5.6	5.8	5.5
Hawaii	5.3	4.9	4.8	5.1	5.0	5.0	5.0	5.2	4.8	4.7
Idaho	8.2	7.3	7.7	6.7	8.1	6.8	7.3	7.2	7.6	6.3
Illinois	5.1	5.0	5.2	4.7	5.3	5.1	5.0	5.2	5.0	5.3
Indiana	5.5	5.4	5.0	5.1	5.5	5.1	5.2	5.6	5.1	5.1
Iowa	5.6	5.8	5.6	4.8	6.3	5.6	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.4
Kansas	5.9	5.5	5.4	5.8	5.7	5.2	5.4	6.3	5.8	5.3
Kentucky	5.3	5.2	5.0	5.3	5.2	5.5	4.8	5.4	5.6	5.0
Louisiana	6.2	5.6	5.5	5.9	6.0	5.5	5.6	6.3	6.0	5.9
Maine	7.0	7.4	7.2	6.2	6.8	7.1	6.3	7.4	7.0	7.0
Maryland	6.0	5.9	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.9	5.7	6.2	6.5	5.6
Massachusetts	5.3	5.0	5.5	5.3	5.4	5.5	5.1	5.8	5.9	5.6
Michigan	5.4	5.2	5.8	4.9	5.6	5.9	5.3	5.5	5.9	5.3
Minnesota	5.5	5.1	5.8	5.3	5.6	5.1	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.5
Mississippi	6.3	5.7	6.3	6.4	6.4	6.2	6.1	6.5	6.1	5.8
Missouri	5.7	5.4	5.5	5.6	6.1	5.3	5.2	6.1	5.9	5.5
Montana	8.4	8.0	7.7	7.0	8.4	7.8	7.5	8.3	7.9	7.4
Nebraska	5.6	5.2	5.4	5.5	5.7	5.5	5.3	5.5	5.8	5.2
Nevada	6.1	5.4	6.2	6.9	6.2	5.6	5.9	6.3	5.2	5.4
New Hampshire	6.3	6.5	6.3	5.6	6.2	5.9	6.1	6.7	6.8	5.7
New Jersey	6.0	5.6	5.8	5.3	5.7	5.5	5.4	5.5	5.8	5.3
New Mexico	6.1	5.9	5.9	5.8	6.1	5.9	5.8	6.0	6.2	6.0
New York	5.7	6.6	5.9	5.9	5.6	5.5	5.0	7.0	5.8	5.6
North Carolina	6.1	5.4	5.6	5.4	6.0	5.5	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.1
North Dakota	6.5	6.7	6.4	6.2	6.9	6.6	6.5	6.7	6.6	6.4
Ohio	5.4	5.2	5.3	5.1	5.3	5.1	4.9	5.4	5.3	5.0
Oklahoma	6.0	5.5	5.5	6.0	6.2	5.5	5.3	6.2	6.4	5.1
Oregon	6.2	5.8	6.4	5.7	6.0	6.6	6.2	6.5	6.7	6.0
Pennsylvania	5.2	5.0	4.9	5.0	5.1	4.8	4.7	5.2	5.2	4.7
Rhode Island	7.3	6.6	6.3	6.0	6.6	6.3	5.9	6.7	6.7	6.2
South Carolina	6.4	6.1	5.8	6.3	6.7	5.9	5.5	6.6	6.5	5.5
South Dakota	6.7	6.2	6.0	5.9	6.0	5.9	6.5	6.1	6.0	5.6
Tennessee	5.5	5.4	5.1	5.7	6.2	6.2	5.1	5.9	5.2	5.2
Texas	5.8	5.1	5.2	5.3	5.6	5.2	5.1	5.4	5.3	4.9
Utah	6.8	6.6	6.6	6.7	6.5	6.3	6.0	6.6	6.4	6.1
Vermont	6.7	6.9	6.9	6.6	6.9	6.7	6.8	7.5	7.8	7.0
Virginia	5.8	5.6	5.8	5.9	5.8	5.5	5.1	5.8	6.1	5.1
Washington	5.8	5.7	6.0	5.2	5.6	5.7	5.5	5.4	5.6	5.3
West Virginia	6.5	6.4	5.5	5.8	5.9	6.1	5.7	6.3	6.0	6.0
Wisconsin	5.3	5.0	5.3	4.9	5.6	5.2	4.9	5.5	5.6	5.1
Wyoming	8.9	8.1	8.3	7.7	9.0	8.3	8.7	8.9	8.4	8.0
Puerto Rico	4.3	6.3	7.0	5.4	4.4	5.4	5.4	6.1	5.7	5.2
Virgin Islands	5.2	5.4	15.0	7.1	9.1	10.8	7.6	9.5	8.4	7.2
Footnotes (1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.