A new report from Creighton University shows signs of modest economic improvement for rural Iowa, even as challenges remain for agriculture and hiring.
The January Rural Mainstreet Index for Iowa climbed to 52.7, up from 47.6 in December, moving back above growth neutral. The index is based on a monthly survey of rural bank CEOs across a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and energy.
The survey is compiled by Ernie Goss, the Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business. Goss says rural economies continue to feel pressure from weak grain prices and higher input costs.
Iowa’s farm and ranchland price index fell to 46.1 in January, down from 51.3 in December. Hiring showed slight improvement, with the state’s new hiring index rising to 49.0.
Trade was a bright spot, as Iowa agricultural and livestock exports rose to $1.6 billion through the first 10 months of 2025, up 34.7% from a year earlier.
The Rural Mainstreet Index provides an early snapshot of economic conditions in rural communities.
