Common Sense Institute Iowa (CSI) is a non-partisan research organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of Iowa’s economy.
Iowa, USA
Joined November 2023
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This week, Common Sense Institute Iowa brought people together for its Free Enterprise Summit! 🎉
Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate the ideas, leadership, and opportunities that make free enterprise thrive in Iowa. And a special congratulations to all of our 2026 Free Enterprise Summit Awardees!
We’re grateful to our speakers, sponsors, and attendees for making it a memorable event!
Iowa’s data center industry is on track to triple in the next five years!
New coverage from KCCI highlights Common Sense Institute Iowa research examining the rapid expansion of data centers and what this growth means for the state’s economy, jobs, and future investment.
Read the full report: bit.ly/3W0k4bi
Read the Article: bit.ly/3UvYWJA
Could data centers actually lower your property taxes?
In some Iowa communities, the numbers suggest they already have. CSI's new research estimates that homeowners in the Norwalk Community School District saved $631 per household over three years, relative to comparable districts, after Microsoft's Osmium data center entered the tax rolls. In Waukee, estimated savings totaled $269 per household over four years.
CSI's research found that data centers can expand the tax base, but local government decisions determine how much of that benefit reaches taxpayers. Read the full report to learn more: bit.ly/4iaHGmi
New CSI research finds that in 2025, data center parcels generated approximately 153 times more property tax revenue than the same land would have generated under its previous use.
The difference reflects higher property values and how Iowa taxes different types of land use.
Read the full report to learn more: bit.ly/4iaHGmi
Iowa's data centers are becoming a major source of local tax revenue.
New CSI research estimates data centers paid $56.1 million in property taxes in 2025, with annual payments projected to reach $292 million by 2040. Dive into the data: bit.ly/4iaHGmi
Common Sense Institute Iowa retweeted
A new report by @CSInstituteIA models how data center investment sustains and expands local economic activity long after the construction phase.
👥 Operations at Iowa data centers supported approximately 12,647 direct, indirect, and induced jobs in 2026.
💲 Data centers pay more than other employers for the same jobs. Average annual pay in the industry reached over $125K in 2025, nearly double the state average.
🚀 To date, data center investments in Iowa total approximately $15.1 billion, equivalent to about $4,700 per Iowa resident.
Read more: commonsenseinstituteus.org/r…
Common Sense Institute Iowa retweeted
Full study from @CSInstituteIA here 👇
commonsenseinstituteus.org/r…
Common Sense Institute Iowa retweeted
A new report by @CSInstituteIA highlights how data centers are reducing property tax bills for homeowners in Iowa, including $3.4 million in savings in 2025.
Read more: commonsenseinstituteus.org/r…
The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised Iowa’s August nonfarm employment down by 200 jobs, and the state added 1,800 in September. So far in 2026, Iowa has added 9,400 jobs—well ahead of the 11,300 jobs lost by this point in 2025. Get the full details in CSI’s latest update: bit.ly/4i1g2YL
Iowa's data center industry is booming, with new CSI research estimating $15.1 billion already invested and another $38 billion in announced projects through 2031. That's more than $53 BILLION in combined past investment and planned projects, with the potential to more than triple Iowa's data center capacity by 2031 if those projects move forward.
What's driving this growth, and what could it mean for Iowa's economy?
Read CSI's full report to learn more: bit.ly/3W0k4bi
Seven of Iowa’s eight major metro areas lost jobs over the past year—a combined decline of roughly 11,100. Ames was the lone exception, adding about 800. Yet statewide employment grew by 4,000, meaning Iowa’s net job growth came from outside its metros.
See the full analysis in CSI’s latest report: bit.ly/4i1g2YL
Iowa's data center boom could mean billions more flowing through the state's economy. CSI research estimates that ongoing operations of announced data center projects could contribute $18.5 BILLION to Iowa's GDP and $9 billion in personal income between 2027 and 2031.
That's more business for local suppliers, more income for workers, and economic activity reaching well beyond the data centers themselves.
Read CSI's full report to learn more: bit.ly/3W0k4bi
Over the past 12 months, Iowa has added 4,000 nonfarm jobs (+0.3%), ranking 33rd nationally in job growth—a five-spot improvement that brings Iowa level with the national average of +0.3%. Construction led the way (+3,300), followed by government (+1,700) and financial services (+1,400).
See the full analysis in CSI’s latest report: bit.ly/4i1g2YL
New CSI research finds Iowa ranks FIRST in the Midwest for operating data center capacity per capita and second in total operating capacity. With more projects on the way, Iowa is becoming a major player in one of the country's fastest-growing industries.
Read the report ⬇️
bit.ly/3W0k4bi
Consumer prices in the Midwest are now 31.2% higher than in early 2020. As a result, the typical Iowa household is spending about $1,550 more per month, totaling over $62,000 in additional costs, just to maintain the same standard of living. Learn more in CSI's latest inflation report: bit.ly/3Wt9RUN
Inflation hit nearly every major spending category in the Midwest. From September 2025 to September 2026, energy (22.0%), transportation (8.4%), commodities (4.5%), and apparel (4.2%) led the way. Only durable goods (-0.7%) posted a decline. Learn more in CSI's latest inflation report: bit.ly/3Wt9RUN
ALT An infographic titled "Did You Know?" presents data on inflation in the Midwest from September 2025 to September 2026. It shows increases in Energy (22%), Transportation (8.4%), Commodities (4.5%), and Apparel (4.2%). There are two stacked gold coins on the right side. The source is commonsenseinstitutes.org/iowa.
Energy prices rose fastest in the Midwest, but shelter drove inflation the most. Shelter contributed 1.43 of the 4.2 percentage points in the annual rate (roughly 34% of the total), with transportation close behind at 1.4 points. Learn more in CSI's latest inflation report: bit.ly/3Wt9RUN
Inflation accelerated in September 2026. The U.S. year-over-year rate rose from 3.4% to 3.7%, while the Midwest's rate jumped from 3.6% to 4.2%, outpacing the nation for eight consecutive months, since February 2026. Learn more in CSI's latest inflation report: bit.ly/3Wt9RUN
ALT The image features a cityscape of Des Moines, Iowa, with an upward-trending arrow. It contains the logo of the Common Sense Institute. Text highlights that inflation accelerated in September, with the U.S. rate rising from 3.4% to 3.7% and the Midwest's rate from 3.6% to 4.2%. The nation has experienced this trend for eight consecutive months, since February 2026. The URL commonsenseinstituteco.org/iowa is included at the bottom.
CSI's Ben Murrey joined WHO Radio to discuss new research revealing the full economic impact of agriculture across the state.
The report found that agriculture supports an estimated 1 in 4 Iowa jobs and roughly one-third of the state's GDP, reaching far beyond the farm into manufacturing, transportation, banking, and more.
Read the full report: bit.ly/4j8ybVA
Agriculture supports 1 in 4 Iowa jobs. 🌽
CSI’s new analysis finds Iowa agriculture supports roughly 534,000 jobs in 2026, accounting for about 25% of employment statewide.
Agriculture’s footprint extends far beyond the farm.
See the full impact on Iowa’s economy ⬇️
bit.ly/4j8ybVA
