Common Sense Institute Iowa

The average cost of homeowners' insurance in Iowa has climbed 273% over the last 15 years, rising to a statewide average of $2,533. With foreclosure rates on the rise, the connection between insurance costs and the cost of housing is hard to ignore. Read @TheDailyIowan article: bit.ly/4d9ZbiV Read CSI's analysis: bit.ly/4ip5QrI

Please join us in welcoming Liz Keehner to the board! Liz is President of the Iowa Venture Capital Association, where she works to strengthen Iowa’s innovation economy and expand access to capital for entrepreneurs. She is also a Partner at Next Level Ventures, bringing deep experience in venture investing and governance. A respected leader in Iowa’s startup community, Liz holds a BA in Finance from the University of Northern Iowa and lives in Des Moines with her family. We’re excited to have her on the board!

Iowa's demographic trends are raising serious questions about the state's long-term economic outlook. CSI's Director of Policy and Research @benamurrey breaks down what the data show and what they mean for Iowa's future. Read CSI's analysis: bit.ly/4vDD5hc

In a new article in the @gazettedotcom, CSI's assessment of potential student demand for the Center for Intellectual Freedom found that demand will depend on the university's support and implementation of the program. This assessment was legislatively mandated under 2025's House File 437. Read the article: bit.ly/426L60y Read the report: bit.ly/3OChjK1

Is there demand for the kind of classical civics education offered by UI's new Center for Intellectual Freedom? CSI’s latest research finds civics centers don't start with demand, they must create it. Examples from comparable civics centers across the nations show: ➤ Comparable programs have scaled quickly ➤ One model grew from 52 students to 2,800+ in just four years ➤ Faculty needs could range from 1 to ~36 instructors depending on enrollment The takeaway: How Iowa’s Center is structured will determine how big it gets. Learn more in the full report: bit.ly/3OChjK1

How many students will enroll in Iowa’s new Center for Intellectual Freedom? The answer: it depends. CSI’s latest analysis finds student demand could range from fewer than a dozen students to more than 1,000—driven largely by how the program is supported and integrated into the curriculum, which will ultimately determine whether it stays small or scales significantly. Read the full report: bit.ly/3OChjK1

Iowa is still growing but the engine behind that growth is losing steam. Birth rates are down, more residents are leaving than arriving, and the state is increasingly relying on migration to keep its workforce afloat. Fewer people means a smaller workforce, slower job growth, and less economic momentum. Without a turnaround in migration or population trends, Iowa risks lagging behind its regional peers in both growth and opportunity. Read CSI's full analysis: bit.ly/4vDD5hc See what the @DMRegister writes: bit.ly/3OC1iDR

Iowa’s natural population growth continues to slow. Net births are falling, interstate migration is declining, and the economic impact could cost $231 million less in GDP. Read CSI's full report: bit.ly/4vDD5hc Learn more: bit.ly/48Rqe0R

Iowa grew by just 7,900 residents last year, signaling a slowing in Iowa's population growth compared to previous years. CSI Director of Policy and Research @benamurrey breaks down what Iowa's demographic trends mean for the state's economic outlook. @RadioIowa's article: bit.ly/42oJ5g3 Read CSI's analysis: bit.ly/4vDD5hc

Over the past 12 months, Iowa has lost 19,200 nonfarm jobs (-1.2%), ranking 45th nationally in job growth rate—well below the national average of +0.2%. Only 3 of Iowa's 11 major sectors grew over the last year: construction, mining & logging, and education & health services. See the full analysis in CSI's February report: bit.ly/4u2IAnI

CSI’s @benamurrey joined @iowapolitics for the #IowaBusinessReport to discuss migration trends in the state. Iowa has one of the lowest domestic and overall net migration rates in the Midwest. A key factor is the mismatch between the jobs available and the number of students leaving the state in search of better opportunities. 👉 Learn more in our full demographics report: bit.ly/4vDD5hc 🎒 Take a closer look at student migration here: bit.ly/47LrMZS 🎧 Listen to the conversation: bit.ly/4mJzEkG

Iowa's unemployment rate held at 3.4% in February—tied for 10th lowest nationally—while labor force participation slipped to 67.8%, still ranking 4th in the U.S. Even as job counts have weakened, Iowa's workforce remains among the most active and employed in the country. Full labor force details in CSI's February update: bit.ly/4u2IAnI

The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised January 2026 Iowa nonfarm employment down by 3,600 jobs. Combined with February's losses, Iowa has shed 1,600 jobs in the first two months of 2026—the weakest January–February performance of the post-pandemic period and a reversal from the 900-job gain over the same stretch in 2025. Full details in CSI's February update: bit.ly/4u2IAnI

A sharp slowdown in immigration is impacting Iowa’s economy. In 2025 foreign migration dropped more than 50%. The slowdown resulted in an estimated: • 15,463 fewer residents • 8,546 fewer workers • $231 million reduction in GDP Population trends don’t just affect demographics, they directly impact economic growth. Read the full report: bit.ly/4vDD5hc

Iowa’s natural population growth continues to slow and the trend is hard to ignore. Despite ranking 5th in fertility, net births fell to just under 3,000 in 2025. That’s down from ~3,500 in 2024 and 71% below the 1991–2019 average Unfortunately, a weakening population growth, combined with low domestic and foreign migration leads Iowa to have a serious demographic challenge in the future. Learn more about the key findings: bit.ly/4vDD5hc

Energy costs drove March inflation, with energy (11.3%) and fuels and utilities (6.0%) leading year-over-year gains. Housing (4.0%), medical care (3.9%), services (3.8%), and transportation (3.8%) also rose substantially, while only education (-0.2%) saw deflation. Learn more in CSI's latest inflation report: bit.ly/4vgI1Ip

Consumer prices in the Midwest are now 28.1% higher than in early 2020. As a result, the typical Iowa household is spending about $1,383 more per month—totaling over $53,000 in additional costs—just to maintain the same standard of living. Learn more in CSI's latest inflation report: bit.ly/4vgI1Ip

Inflation accelerated sharply in March 2026, with the Midwest hitting 3.4% year-over-year—the highest since January 2025. Monthly inflation reached 0.95%, the highest since June 2022. Learn more in CSI's latest inflation report: bit.ly/4vgI1Ip

Iowa's unemployment rate fell to 3.4% in January—10th lowest nationally—while labor force participation held at 67.9%, ranking 6th in the U.S. Despite a downward jobs revision, Iowa's workforce remains among the most active and employed in the country. Full labor force details in CSI's January update: bit.ly/41mddbI

The new BLS benchmark revised Iowa's December employment down by 17,500 jobs. After revisions, 2025 was the weakest year for job growth in Iowa's post-pandemic recovery. Construction saw the largest sectoral revision at -6,200 jobs. Full details in CSI's January update: bit.ly/41mddbI