- DesMoines best place in the country to raise kids and do business (Forbes).
- #1 in student SAT composite scores, and #2 in ACT scores for high school students.
- One of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, 6.8%.
- Iowa ended fiscal year 2010 with $480m surplus and $434m rainy day fund.
- One of seven states to receive the Triple A Bond Rating from three agencies that rate financial health of businesses and government (Standards&Poore, Moody, and Fitch).
- Iowa 8th top performing economic state, 4th in growth in exports, 5th best legal system (US Chamber of Commerce).
- Iowa’s Business Council stated that all major indicators were trending up for Iowa, trending up for the past 11 months.
- Top 10 for doing business, #1 in the Midwest (CNBC).
- State debt is 2nd lowest per capita (Moody’s Investors Service).
- Iowa is the 3rd best run state (24/7 Wall Street).
- Iowa 3rd best employment outlook (Nation-Wide Manpower).
- 13th healthiest state (Gallup-Healthways Well Being Index).
- #1 in wind energy use (American Wind Energy Association).
- 8th in overall growth (US Commerce Department).
- The Economic Index in Iowa has improved for the 11th month in a row.
- 3rd best, for extremely low tort litigation risk for businesses, 10th best tort liability climate (Pacific Institute & Manufactures Alliance).
- Ames #9 best small city in the nation (CNN Money)
- Des Moines one of 10 “Best Cities for the Next Decade” (Kiplinger Magazine).
- 5 Iowa cities in the top 20 ”America’s Best Small Cities for Business and Careers”, Iowa City(#2), Waterloo(#9), Dubuque(#10), Ames(#17), and Sioux City(#20) (Forbes).
- Iowa is the 5th best state for retirement, based on; cost of living, unemployment, average state and local taxes (MoneyRates.com).
- Iowa ranked 7th in the nation in the number of criminal Medicaid convictions.
Wage gap between men, women narrowing slowly
From the Mason City Globe Gazette, November 23, 2009 By PEGGY SENZARINO
State Rep. Sharon Steckman, D-Mason City, thinks government can play a role in lifting women up in the work force.
“The more education a woman gets the better her chances are of having a better-paying job,” Steckman said.
From the Mason City Globe Gazette, January 2, 2010 By JOHN SKIPPER
Sharon Steckman, who will begin her second year in the state Legislature representing Mason City, said she hopes an economic recovery begins for the city, state and country.
“In particular, I think of the hundreds of workers in this area who have lost their jobs and hope the new year brings opportunities and opens doors for them,” said the Iowa House Democrat.