DES MOINES, Iowa -- New numbers from the Iowa Business Council show a state that's losing people.
The Council's Iowa Competitive Dashboard says the state's population growth has consistently trailed the national average and its net migration decreased by more than 2,300 people in the past year.
"A healthy state is a growing state, and businesses can't expand if we don't have the people here to take the jobs that will lead to more jobs and more opportunities," says Iowa Business Council Executive Director Joe Murphy.
Murphy says they have a couple of ideas on how to turn back the population loss.
"We need to do a better job of recruiting people into our state. We need to do a better job of recruiting Iowans who were born, raised, and educated here to come back from Chicago, or Minneapolis, or Kansas City. Come back and make a life for yourself here," he says.
Murphy says the Council also thinks Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds' call for $450 million in broadband internet expansion could help reverse the state's population loss.
"We can get remote workers from all over the country to come here, as well as other people who want a safe place--a great state for education and other aspects to put forward in a new life for themselves," he says.
Murphy says it's the first time in 10 years the Council's Iowa Competitive Dashboard shows a shrinking population.