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

Housing & Our Community
Iowa Leads the Nation in Property Tax Relief: Ranking State Reforms of the Past Decade
Introduction In June 2026, CSI evaluated the impact the state’s recent property tax reforms would have on Iowa’s local tax…
Housing & Our Community
Housing Affordability in Iowa – Q2 2026
Introduction Iowa’s housing market remains favorable in a national environment defined by unaffordability. With mortgage rates still elevated and prices…
Jobs & Our Economy
Made in Iowa: The Outsized Contribution of Manufacturing in the State’s Economy
Introduction Manufacturing is the backbone of Iowa’s economy, and how the industry fares over the coming decade will shape the…
Jobs & Our Economy
Iowa Jobs and Labor Force Update – June 2026
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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