Job Satisfaction in Iowa During the Pandemic is Up Over 2019

COVID-19 may bear the year '19' in its name, but almost none of us knew what it was until last year. The year the world changed... The year so many millions of Americans, maybe of them Iowans, lost their jobs. Even into 2021, we can say it's been a challenging year at work, despite that people are still very satisfied with their jobs. Maybe this doesn't surprise you since a lot of folks are probably just happy they had a job during the pandemic.

Many Iowa businesses are hiring as life in Iowa gets closer to 'normal' once again.

Overall, we like our jobs - even more than in 2019 before COVID

The website PR Newswire did a study on job satisfaction and learned that job satisfaction remains high. In fact, in 2020 it was up vs. 2019. That year, job satisfaction overall was 56.3%. That ticked up to 56.9% in 2020. Not a huge jump, but not a decline either. It wasn't across the board however. Those under 35 experienced an overall drop in job satisfaction. However, those 55 and older experienced an increase.

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Iowa unemployment numbers up over 2019, and even 2020

In Iowa, the unemployment rate had fluctuated. In March of 2021, it was up over March 2020 which is not shock given that's when the pandemic took hold. In 2019, Iowa had the lowest unemployment is the U.S. often battling Hawaii for that distinction. Currently, Iowa is tied for 7th in the U.S. for lowest unemployment. In front are, Nebraska 2.9%, South Dakota 2.9%, Utah 2.9%, Vermont 2.9%, New Hampshire 3.0%, and Idaho 3.2%.

LOOK: Here are the 25 best places to live in Iowa

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Iowa using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

LOOK: Stunning animal photos from around the world

From grazing Tibetan antelope to migrating monarch butterflies, these 50 photos of wildlife around the world capture the staggering grace of the animal kingdom. The forthcoming gallery runs sequentially from air to land to water, and focuses on birds, land mammals, aquatic life, and insects as they work in pairs or groups, or sometimes all on their own.

Filed Under: Employment, Iowa

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