Iowa · Infrastructure & Trust
Rainy Day Fund in Iowa
State rainy-day savings balance as a percent of annual general fund spending, as self-reported by states to NASBO.
10% in 2025
#33 of 50 · Middle tier (higher is better)
Iowa is worse than the 50-state median (13%). That's a gap of 2.7%.
View interactive chart & trend → See full 50-state ranking →
2000 – 2025 · Iowa only · interactive chart with US median overlay →
About rainy day fund
What this measures: State rainy-day savings balance as a percent of annual general fund spending.
Why it matters: Rainy day funds are the buffer that keeps schools and services running through recessions without emergency tax hikes or cuts.
Watch out: Covers the named stabilization fund only. Some states keep additional reserves in other accounts that are not counted here.
Recent trend
| Year | Iowa | US median |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 10% | 5.1% |
| 2017 | 8.3% | 5.3% |
| 2018 | 8.6% | 6.5% |
| 2019 | 10% | 7.9% |
| 2020 | 9.9% | 8.4% |
| 2021 | 10% | 10% |
| 2022 | 10% | 11% |
| 2023 | 11% | 13% |
| 2024 | 11% | 15% |
| 2025 | 10% | 13% |
Iowa vs. neighboring states
Same metric (rainy day fund), latest year with full state coverage. Click any name for that state's full report.
| State | Rainy Day Fund | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 9.9% | #34 of 50 |
| Wisconsin | 9.3% | #40 of 50 |
| Illinois | 4.3% | #48 of 50 |
| Missouri | 6.8% | #45 of 50 |
| Nebraska | 16% | #17 of 50 |
| South Dakota | 13% | #25 of 50 |
How Iowa compares (2025)
Top 5 best
| #1 | Wyoming | 8772% |
| #2 | Alaska | 4238% |
| #3 | Idaho | 4062% |
| #4 | North Dakota | 3777% |
| #5 | Kentucky | 3032% |
Bottom 5
| #46 | Rhode Island | 630% |
| #47 | Delaware | 503% |
| #48 | Illinois | 426% |
| #49 | Washington | 351% |
| #50 | New Jersey | 0.0% |
Source and methodology
Source: NASBO Fiscal Survey · Direction: higher is better · Unit: %
Download raw CSV (all 50 states, all years)