Palo Alto County, Iowa Employment Sector Statistics (2024)
Workforce distribution by employment sector for Palo Alto County, Iowa
Employment Indicators for Palo Alto County, Iowa (2024)
Total Employed
4,658
Civilian 16+
Private For-Profit
69.5 %
Largest Sector
Self-Employed
10.1%
Entrepreneurship
Government
11.1%
Public Sector
Palo Alto County, Iowa Workforce by Sector & Gender

Palo Alto County, Iowa Employment Sector Breakdown
| Sector | Total Workers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 3,236 | 69.5% |
| Government | 515 | 11.1% |
| Self-Employed | 469 | 10.1% |
| Private Non-Profit | 429 | 9.2% |
Palo Alto County, Iowa Gender Ratio Analysis by Employment Sector (2024)
| Sector | Male:Female Ratio |
|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1.31:1 |
| Government | 0.81:1 |
| Self-Employed | 3.19:1 |
Palo Alto County, Iowa Employment Trends (2010–2024)

Palo Alto County, Iowa Historical Employment Sector Trends
| Year | Private | Gov | Self-Emp | Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 69.5% | 11.1% | 10.1% | 9.2% |
| 2023 | 68.9% | 11.4% | 9.9% | 9.5% |
| 2022 | 69.0% | 13.6% | 8.4% | 8.6% |
| 2021 | 69.5% | 14.5% | 8.7% | 7.2% |
| 2020 | 68.7% | 15.2% | 8.0% | 7.9% |
| 2019 | 65.4% | 16.7% | 9.5% | 8.2% |
| 2018 | 66.3% | 16.4% | 9.1% | 8.0% |
| 2017 | 65.5% | 17.4% | 8.5% | 8.3% |
| 2016 | 66.8% | 17.1% | 7.7% | 8.0% |
| 2015 | 64.0% | 17.7% | 9.0% | 9.1% |
| 2014 | 64.5% | 17.4% | 9.5% | 8.4% |
| 2013 | 64.5% | 17.4% | 8.8% | 9.0% |
| 2012 | 66.8% | 15.3% | 9.2% | 8.7% |
| 2011 | 65.1% | 15.0% | 10.3% | 9.3% |
| 2010 | 65.1% | 13.0% | 10.2% | 10.8% |
Employment Sector FAQs for Palo Alto County, Iowa
The largest employment sector in Palo Alto County, Iowa is Private For-Profit, which employs 69.5% of the local workforce.
There are approximately 4,658 civilian workers aged 16 and over currently employed in Palo Alto County, Iowa.
In the private for-profit sector, the male-to-female ratio is 1.31:1. This metric helps highlight gender participation across the most prominent industry classes.
Since 2010, the total number of workers in Palo Alto County, Iowa has shown a decrease, moving from 4,740 to 4,658 according to Census Bureau records.