There are many jobs available in the Lakes Area of Northwest Iowa. Just check the latest job listings and you will find this to be true.

What’s also true is that there is a great variety of industries that thrive in this corner of Northwest Iowa. Many employers in these industries are often hiring, too, so it’s a good idea to become familiar with what job and career opportunities might be out there – especially if you are planning to move.

If you are searching for a job or think maybe a move is in your future, then it’s useful to get to know what types of jobs are available in the Lakes Area of Northwest Iowa.

Industries with the most employees in the Lakes Area of Northwest Iowa

When you think of top employers Northwest Iowa, agriculture and ag-related businesses probably comes to mind. But would it surprise you to know that it’s No. 5 in terms of most people employed in the Lakes Area of Northwest Iowa?

That’s right. Although agriculture plays a very large role in the health of our local economy, it’s not the industry responsible for the most jobs.

That honor goes to healthcare and social services, which employs an estimated 18.3% of workers, according to a laborshed study of the Iowa Lakes Corridor regional laborshed area.

This area covers much of the Lakes Area of Northwest Iowa and includes hubs of our region, such as Spencer, Storm Lake, Estherville, Spirit Lake. But the laborshed area also stretches into other communities, including Sheldon, Denison, Fort Dodge and even into Minnesota.

Top industries by employment in our region

Here’s how major industries in the Iowa Lakes Corridor region rank in terms of the percentage of workers available they employ. If you work in one of these industries, then chances are there’s a job and plenty of opportunity here for you:

  1. Healthcare and social services – 18.3%
  2. Wholesale and retail trade – 14.9%
  3. Education – 12.2%
  4. Manufacturing – 11.4%
  5. Agriculture – 6.8%
  6. Finance – 6.7%
  7. Professional services – 6.4%
  8. Transportation – 6.2%
  9. Personal services – 6%
  10. Government – 5.1%
  11. Construction – 4.9%
  12. Entertainment and recreation – 1.1%

Commute times lower than national average

The laborshed study doesn’t just show what industries employ the most people. One of the other highlights is the fact that workers in the Lakes of Northwest Iowa area have a one-way commute time that is lower than the national average of 26.9 minutes.

Here in our region, that one-way commute trip is just 13 minutes. What’s also interesting is that people in our rural area say they would be more than willing to travel to the next town over – or county over – for a good job.

The study indicated currently employed people who are actively looking for a new job would be willing to travel 33 miles one way to work. Unemployed people searching for work say they’d be willing to travel 28 miles for the right opportunity.

Find jobs in Northwest Iowa

Are you looking for employment? We have a resource for you that can help point you toward featured employers in our region who are hiring or often have open positions they are looking to fill.

Even if you are not from the Lakes Area of Northwest Iowa, we encourage you to look around our site more. In fact, we’d love to have you here! Learn more about moving to our area, and discovering the many jobs, unbeatable recreational opportunities and high quality of life that you can find here.

Want to discover more opportunities that await people who move to our area? Email us!

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