Iowa migration, mapped
In 2022–23, 57,011 people moved into Iowa and 58,478 moved out, a net of −1,467. Drag the year slider to watch the trend, hover any state to see the corridor, or click through to explore it.
The map couldn’t load. The numbers below still tell the story.
† IRS methodology change in this year’s files (see methodology)
What the flows say
- Biggest corridors: Illinois leads both directions, with 8,582 people in and 7,326 out in 2022–23.
- Trend: net outflow has deepened over the last three years, from −1,188 in 2020–21 to −1,467 in 2022–23†.
Population · 2025
3,238,387
▲ 0.2% year over year · growing
Peak population
3,238,387
highest in the series shown (since 1910)
Why the population is changing
- Growth driver: the population grew in 2025 even after losing 970 people to domestic migration. International migration (+5,903) and births minus deaths (+2,949) more than made up for it.
- Peak population: the 2025 estimate of 3,238,387 is the highest on record, in data going back to 1910.
Net income flow · 2022–23
−$266M
▼ $2.1B arrived · $2.3B left
Avg household income · movers
$62k in · $65k out
leavers out-earn arrivals by 5%
Iowa wealth migration
- Money moved: households moving into Iowa in 2022–23 reported $2.1B in income (AGI). Households leaving took $2.3B with them, a net loss of $266M.
- Income gap: the average household moving in reported $62k of income, vs $65k for leavers. Leavers out-earn arrivals by 5%.
Drill into a metro
IRS data goes deeper than states. Pick a metro to see its own corridors.
About the data
Migration figures come from the official IRS state-to-state files (exemptions ≈ people). Population figures are Census Bureau estimates, and the peak checks every census back to 1910. Income figures are the total income (AGI) movers reported in the same IRS files. Dollars are not adjusted for inflation, and household averages divide by the number of returns. Years marked † had a change in how the IRS built the files. Full details, caveats, and a suggested citation on the methodology page.
Download this data (CSV), free to use with attribution.
Every year, thousands of people move to Iowa
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