Iowa's unemployment rate is at an 18-year low. Iowa Workforce Development says new numbers show last month's jobless rate is 2.6 percent, down from June's 2.7 percent. Iowa had 3.1 percent unemployment a year ago. IWD says manufacturing made the biggest job gains, followed by financial, construction, and leisure and hospitality, while the retail and service sectors lost jobs. Iowa's unemployment rate is more than one percent lower than the national rate of 3.9 percent and is the second-lowest rate in the country.