March 16, 2026

The Free Enterprise Report is a marquis report that provides an objective, non-partisan, fact-based analysis of the Iowa economic landscape and the state’s most pressing issues. The study is a year long undertaking and includes the CSI Economic Performance Index as well as a Free Enterprise Competitiveness Index across eight different policy areas.

Both indices provide an opportunity to look backwards and better understand where Iowa has been and what direction we are moving. We can better understand how we are performing relative to other states and we can equip policy makers, civic and business leaders with the best understanding of how our state is performing, where we are winning, where we are losing and how free enterprise principles can get us back on track.

RECENT/RELATED RESEARCH

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Introduction Manufacturing is the backbone of Iowa’s economy, and how the industry fares over the coming decade will shape the…
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Summary Iowa gained 600 nonfarm jobs in June, with government employment falling by 500 and private-sector employment growing by 1,100.…
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All the data referenced in this report come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI) database.…

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