On the 12th Day of Decline, the Iowa GOP Gave Us…
Wages That Don’t Keep Up With the Cost of Living

DES MOINES, IA – On the twelfth day of Christmas, Iowans didn’t receive twelve drummers drumming. Instead, Republicans gifted Iowans one last terrible national ranking. 

Iowa ranks 48th in personal income growth and had the second-slowest job growth nationwide in 2024.

“Iowa’s GDP issues and growth issues are related to four factors. The first is that there’s a decline in agriculture, the second is that there’s a decline in manufacturing, the third is that Iowa’s job growth has been slow, and the fourth is ongoing trade policy,” said Anne Villamil, professor of economics at the University of Iowa.

Hard-working Iowans’ wages aren’t keeping up with the cost of living — families are falling behind while the state lags the nation. Grocery prices have increased by 29 percent since February of 2020, health insurers are raising prices by 26 percent, and electricity prices have jumped by as much as 40 percent since 2020.

“We’ve been under one-party control in the state of Iowa for 10 years. Republicans have been in charge… This does not bode well for producers, nor does it bode well for consumers, nor does it bode well for the economy of Iowa itself,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart.

This December, instead of French hens and golden rings, we counted down the 12 Days of Iowa’s decline — a daily look at the rankings Iowa has tanked under a decade of one-party rule. Take a look back at all 12 days of decline here. 

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