Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa Job Growth

There were 389,500 jobs in Des Moines, Iowa in October 2023 according to the CES survey of employers. The CPS survey of households showed 368,232 employed persons for the month. Des Moines added 400 jobs in October 2023 according to the CES survey while the broader CPS measure of employment fell by 1,918 (Comparing CES and CPS employment numbers.). You can also compare Des Moines job growth to job growth in other cities.

Note: The CPS survey data is now seasonally adjusted at the metropolitan level by with the new BLS SSA series.

Des Moines, Iowa Employment Changes

The charts below show the monthly job growth for Des Moines as measured by the CES and CPS surveys. To illustrate the trend, the 3 month moving average change in employment is shown in green.

CES Employment Change: 1 Month, Rolling 3 Month

CPS Employment Change: 1 Month, Rolling 3 Month

Total Employment for Des Moines, Iowa

CES employment for Des Moines peaked in January 2023 at 393,000. Since then 3,500 jobs have been lost in Des Moines according to the employer survey. From a trough of 389,100 in September 2023, Des Moines has gained 400 jobs according to CES employment figures.

CPS employment reached a maximum of 372,208 for Des Moines in June 2023. 3,976 jobs have been lost in Des Moines since then according to the household survey.

Employment: CES, CPS

Des Moines, Iowa Employment History