Iowa Chamber Alliance 2022 Talent Poll Summary

posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 in Government Affairs

2022 Talent Poll Summary

Provided by the Iowa Chamber Alliance

Research Question

Iowa is the only state in the union that has not doubled in population since 1900. This slow population growth has created an acute talent problem for economic growth as the labor shortage inhibits attraction and expansion opportunities. The Iowa Chamber Alliance moved Talent Attraction to the top of our priority agenda in 2019 and created the annual Talent Poll to better understand Iowa’s strengths and weaknesses. Iowa needs to find new people willing to move to the state by first understanding what working age Iowans find attractive about living here.

Target Audience

We polled 826 residents of Iowa who are registered voters and between the ages of 18-65. The results were weighted to get a sample structure representative of gender, age, race, ideology, education, income, and region.

Iowa’s Strengths

Most Iowans believe the state is on the right track and expect the state’s economy will either continue to improve or remain the same.
Iowa’s K-12 and post-secondary schools are considered superior to those in most other states.
Iowans who chose to stay in the state did so due to the low cost of living, safety, friendly people, and small-town feel.

Opportunities

Many Iowans are dissatisfied with the job opportunities in the state.
41% of respondents feel the state’s entertainment options are inferior to those in other states.

Working Iowan Priorities

Creating jobs and growing the economy
Lowering taxes for individuals
Universal Pre-K

Overall, the majority of Iowans feel joy and trust about living in the state of Iowa but have an overall dissatisfaction with the state’s career opportunities. To attract new Iowans, we need to better promote our low cost of living, “Iowa Nice”, and outdoor recreation opportunities while focusing on expanding the state’s entertainment options and promoting the economy.

The Iowa Chamber Alliance is a non-partisan coalition that represents the leading Chambers of Commerce and economic development organizations throughout Iowa that focus on promoting economic growth policies and initiatives.