Birth Injury Marketing
State intelligence

Iowa: births, delivery capacity and legal capacity

By Kevin Schwaner, Founder; Chief Marketing OfficerUpdated

Iowa recorded 36,301 births in 2024 across 99 counties, served by 39 hospitals confirmed to provide inpatient labour and delivery, with 47 more whose status CMS does not report. There are 1,181 Offices of Lawyers establishments statewide, across all practice areas.

Births, 2024
36,301+1.2% since 2021
Delivering hospitals
3947 more not reported
Offices of Lawyers
1,181CBP 2023, NAICS 541110, all practice areas
Births per lawyer office
30.7national median for 500+ birth counties: 34.3

Births by county

Births by county in Iowa, 2024A choropleth of Iowa counties shaded by births recorded in 2024.
Births, 2024 ≤ 129 > 4,194

Figure 1. Hover any county for births, lawyer offices and delivering hospitals. Projected at build time; no mapping library on this page.

Iowa births, 2021 to 2024. Four-year births series for Iowa alongside the national total. Iowa 36,301 +1.2% 2021→2024 United States 3,605,563 +0.6% 2021→2024 Delivering hospitals 39 +0.0% 2024 only Lawyer offices 1,181 +0.0% CBP 2023
Figure 2 — Iowa against the national series. Only the first two series are time series; the third and fourth are single-vintage values shown flat, and are labelled as such rather than being interpolated into a trend. National births detail. Sources: Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 county population estimates (components of change), released June 2025; Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, NAICS 541110 Offices of Lawyers, released May 2025; CMS Care Compare, Maternal Health · Hospital, reporting period 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2024.

Every county

All 99 counties in Iowa. Sorted by births. Copy it into a spreadsheet — it is a real table.
CountyPopulation 2024Births 2024Lawyer officesBirths per officeDelivering hospitalsStatus unknown
Polk County516,1856,45331220.730
Linn County231,7622,6197634.520
Scott County175,6011,8976827.920
Johnson County160,0801,6904736.020
Black Hawk County132,3481,6153546.120
Woodbury County107,2571,4265128.010
Dallas County115,3431,3872653.300
Dubuque County99,2421,0982642.220
Pottawattamie County93,5299644322.420
Story County102,4988422533.711
Warren County56,3436166102.700
Clinton County46,0155531536.910
Marshall County40,3924801240.000
Sioux County36,5544581628.604
Wapello County35,681458950.910
Muscatine County42,1324381923.100
Cerro Gordo County42,4934271823.710
Des Moines County38,4114251430.410
Webster County36,9093911135.510
Jasper County38,1073621327.800
Marion County34,0483271227.302
Lee County32,376320935.600
Plymouth County25,825314562.810
Buena Vista County20,816293932.601
Boone County26,729280835.001
Washington County22,6312651222.100
Buchanan County20,7332490undefined01
Crawford County16,378241460.301
Benton County25,799240460.001
Carroll County20,407240830.001
Bremer County25,328235639.211
Mahaska County22,034230457.510
Fayette County19,152213635.501
Jackson County19,390205922.800
Delaware County17,609203367.701
Madison County17,161200540.001
Henry County19,361199922.100
Tama County16,738190538.000
Winneshiek County19,723189921.010
Hamilton County14,8561870undefined01
Iowa County16,4231871018.701
Wright County12,729180630.010
Poweshiek County18,454179919.910
Jones County21,116175629.200
Clay County16,474171628.510
O'Brien County14,260167723.901
Allamakee County14,184164441.001
Kossuth County14,408156722.310
Floyd County15,008155351.710
Hardin County16,464155351.701
Butler County14,156153819.100
Cedar County18,231151530.200
Harrison County14,626150350.000
Dickinson County18,1581461113.310
Clayton County16,931142528.402
Jefferson County15,781142817.800
Davis County9,1931390undefined01
Cass County13,024138434.510
Grundy County12,405135345.001
Appanoose County12,106133526.601
Humboldt County9,617130343.301
Mills County14,717130432.500
Lyon County12,378126342.001
Page County15,038126525.202
Clarke County9,5241240undefined01
Hancock County10,616122620.300
Franklin County10,024119429.800
Union County11,955119523.810
Cherokee County11,658118716.910
Mitchell County10,632118339.301
Louisa County10,630117339.000
Chickasaw County11,719114522.800
Keokuk County9,855112337.300
Emmet County9,162111427.801
Lucas County8,758111522.201
Shelby County11,821110336.710
Howard County9,3601070undefined10
Palo Alto County8,8091030undefined10
Sac County9,533101714.401
Calhoun County9,7111000undefined10
Van Buren County7,217960undefined00
Guthrie County10,774950undefined01
Montgomery County10,063950undefined01
Wayne County6,622860undefined01
Winnebago County10,38386328.700
Adair County7,43185614.200
Greene County8,66285517.001
Ida County6,810840undefined01
Monona County8,42983327.700
Monroe County7,37382327.301
Pocahontas County7,00682613.701
Worth County7,307800undefined00
Decatur County7,656780undefined01
Fremont County6,494710undefined01
Taylor County5,825640undefined00
Osceola County6,03662320.701
Audubon County5,562590undefined00
Adams County3,606380undefined00
Ringgold County4,608350undefined01

29 counties record births with no confirmed delivering hospital, covering 6,538 births. As on the national page, this describes where facilities sit relative to where births are recorded by residence — not access to care.

Hospitals with obstetric services

86 Iowa hospitals reporting an obstetric service status. Facilities confirming they do not provide labour and delivery are excluded from this table and counted on the national page.
HospitalCityCountyOwnershipLabour & deliveryBirthing Friendly
Allen HospitalWaterlooBlack HawkVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Avera Holy Family HospitalEsthervilleEmmetVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Avera Merrill Pioneer HospitalRock RapidsLyonVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Boone County HospitalBooneBooneVoluntary non-profit - OtherNot reported—
Broadlawns Medical CenterDes MoinesPolkGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Buchanan County Health CenterIndependenceBuchananVoluntary non-profit - OtherNot reported—
Buena Vista Regional Medical CenterStorm LakeBuena VistaGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Cass County Memorial HospitalAtlanticCassGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Cherokee Regional Medical CenterCherokeeCherokeeVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Chi Health Mercy Council BluffsCouncil BluffsPottawattamieVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Clarinda Regional Health CenterClarindaPageGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Clarke County HospitalOsceolaClarkeVoluntary non-profit - OtherNot reported—
Community Memorial Hospital Medical CenterSumnerBremerVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Compass Memorial HealthcareMarengoIowaVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Crawford County Memorial HospitalDenisonCrawfordGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Davis County HospitalBloomfieldDavisGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Decatur County HospitalLeonDecaturGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Finley HospitalDubuqueDubuqueVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Floyd County Medical CenterCharles CityFloydGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Floyd Valley HealthcareLe MarsPlymouthGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Genesis Medical Center-DavenportDavenportScottVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
George C Grape Community HospitalHamburgFremontVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Greater Regional Medical CenterCrestonUnionGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Greene County Medical CenterJeffersonGreeneGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Grinnell Regional Medical CenterGrinnellPoweshiekVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Grundy County Memorial HospitalGrundy CenterGrundyVoluntary non-profit - OtherNot reported—
Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital And ClinicsWest UnionFayetteVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Guthrie County HospitalGuthrie CenterGuthrieVoluntary non-profit - OtherNot reported—
Guttenberg Municipal HospitalGuttenbergClaytonGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Hansen Family HospitalIowa FallsHardinGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Hawarden Regional HealthcareHawardenSiouxGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Hegg Memorial Health CenterRock ValleySiouxVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Horn Memorial HospitalIda GroveIdaVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Humboldt County Memorial HospitalHumboldtHumboldtVoluntary non-profit - OtherNot reported—
Iowa Specialty Hospital - ClarionClarionWrightGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Knoxville Hospital & ClinicsKnoxvilleMarionVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Kossuth Regional Health CenterAlgonaKossuthGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Lakes Regional HealthcareSpirit LakeDickinsonGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Loring HospitalSac CitySacVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Lucas County Health CenterCharitonLucasVoluntary non-profit - OtherNot reported—
Madison County Health Care SystemWintersetMadisonGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Mahaska Health PartnershipOskaloosaMahaskaGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Mary Greeley Medical CenterAmesStoryGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Mercy Medical Center - Cedar RapidsCedar RapidsLinnVoluntary non-profit - ChurchYesDesignated
Mercyone Centerville Medical CenterCentervilleAppanooseVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Mercyone Clinton Medical CenterClintonClintonVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Mercyone Des Moines Medical CenterDes MoinesPolkVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Mercyone Dubuque Medical CenterDubuqueDubuqueVoluntary non-profit - ChurchYesDesignated
Mercyone Elkader Medical CenterElkaderClaytonVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Mercyone North Iowa Medical CenterMason CityCerro GordoVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Mercyone Waterloo Medical CenterWaterlooBlack HawkVoluntary non-profit - ChurchYesDesignated
Methodist Jennie EdmundsonCouncil BluffsPottawattamieVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Mitchell County Regional HealthOsageMitchellGovernment - FederalNot reported—
Monroe County HospitalAlbiaMonroeGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Montgomery County Memorial HospitalRed OakMontgomeryGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Myrtue Medical CenterHarlanShelbyVoluntary non-profit - OtherYesDesignated
Orange City Area Health SystemOrange CitySiouxVoluntary non-profit - OtherNot reported—
Osceola Community HospitalSibleyOsceolaVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Ottumwa Regional Health CenterOttumwaWapelloProprietaryYesDesignated
Palo Alto County HospitalEmmetsburgPalo AltoGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Pella Regional Health CenterPellaMarionVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Pocahontas Community HospitalPocahontasPocahontasGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Regional Health Services Of Howard CountyCrescoHowardGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Regional Medical CenterManchesterDelawareVoluntary non-profit - OtherNot reported—
Ringgold County HospitalMount AyrRinggoldGovernment - StateNot reported—
Sanford Sheldon Medical CenterSheldonObrienVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Shenandoah Medical CenterShenandoahPageVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Sioux Center HealthSioux CenterSiouxVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Southeast Iowa Regional Medical CenterWest BurlingtonDes MoinesVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Spencer Municipal HospitalSpencerClayGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
St Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing HomeCarrollCarrollVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
St Lukes HospitalCedar RapidsLinnVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
St Lukes Regional Medical CenterSioux CityWoodburyVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Stewart Memorial Community HospitalLake CityCalhounVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Story County HospitalNevadaStoryGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Trinity - BettendorfBettendorfScottVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Trinity Regional Medical CenterFort DodgeWebsterVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist MediDes MoinesPolkVoluntary non-profit - PrivateYesDesignated
University Of Iowa Health Care Medical Center DownIowa CityJohnsonVoluntary non-profit - ChurchYesDesignated
University Of Iowa Hospital & ClinicsIowa CityJohnsonGovernment - StateYesDesignated
Van Diest Medical CenterWebster CityHamiltonVoluntary non-profit - OtherNot reported—
Veterans Memorial HospitalWaukonAllamakeeGovernment - LocalNot reported—
Virginia Gay HospitalVintonBentonVoluntary non-profit - PrivateNot reported—
Waverly Health CenterWaverlyBremerGovernment - LocalYesDesignated
Wayne County HospitalCorydonWayneGovernment - LocalNot reported—
WinnmedDecorahWinneshiekGovernment - LocalYesDesignated

Birthing Friendly is a CMS designation reflecting a hospital's attestation to participating in a perinatal quality improvement collaborative and implementing recommended safety practices. It records reported structure and participation. It is not an outcome measure, and CMS published no obstetric outcome scores at all for 2024 — see the blackout.

A limit we will not cross. Nothing on this page links a clinical outcome rate to a legal claim. Adverse-event rates measure medicine. Litigation measures a legal process. They are different quantities, they are collected by different agencies for different reasons, and correlating them would be the fastest way to publish something false. Where we present clinical data and legal data together, it is to describe a market — never to imply that one causes, predicts, or justifies the other.

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau — County Population Totals and Components of Change, Vintage 2024 — births by county, 2021–2024
  2. U.S. Census Bureau — County Business Patterns, 2023 — NAICS 541110, Offices of Lawyers; establishment counts by county
  3. CMS Care Compare — Maternal Health · Hospital — PC-02, PC-07a, PC-07b, SM-7; 2024 reporting period
  4. CMS Care Compare — Hospital General Information — ownership, facility type, Birthing Friendly designation
  5. U.S. Census Bureau — Cartographic Boundary Files, 2023 (1:20,000,000) — county and state polygons; projected to Albers equal-area at build time

Cite this analysis

Free to reproduce with attribution, including commercially. Charts may be embedded as published.

Birth Injury Marketing. “Iowa: births, delivery capacity and legal capacity.” 24 August 2026. https://birthinjurymarketing.com/intelligence/iowa/

Journalists and researchers: we will cut this data to your specification — by state, by county, by hospital, by year — and send the underlying CSV, free and without conditions. Ask for a custom cut. We will also tell you what the data cannot support.

Related

No commercial page for Iowa. Our rule is that a state gets one only where this data lets us say something true of that state and not of everywhere else, and Iowa did not clear it. The rule, and every state it excludes, is published. We still work there.

All 51 states → · National legal capacity → · Why there is no outcome data → · Model this market → · Methodology →

Authorship & review

Author
Kevin Schwaner, Founder; Chief Marketing Officer. Credentials.
Last reviewed
Corrections
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