Aaron M. Renn says that Iowa has weathered the recession well, and migration patterns have boosted cities and agribusiness.
Des Moines, the capital, has seen population growth at nearly double the national average, and has a GDP per capita that is higher than Chicago's GDP:
"Many other Iowa metros are likewise doing well. Dubuque recently landed a 1,000 job operation from IBM and grew its employment by over 3% last decade. Dubuque, along with other Iowa metros like Ames and Sioux Falls, grew economic output per capita faster than the average for the rest of America's cities."
But as Renn points out, the situation is bleaker in Iowa's rural counties.
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