Greater Des Moines MSA Named a Top U.S. Metro for Economic Development

GREATER DES MOINES, IA (March 2, 2026) – The Greater Des Moines metropolitan statistical area (MSA) has been named the #2 Top Performing Metro for Economic Development in the nation among its tier metros in Site Selection Magazine’s 2025 Governor’s Cup, recognizing the region as one of the nation’s top-performing mid-sized metros for new and expanded corporate investment and expansion activity.

The annual Governor’s Cup rankings, published in the March issue of Site Selection Magazine, evaluate states, metropolitan areas and micro-communities based on verified corporate investment and expansion activity. The Tier 2 category includes metros with populations between 200,000 and 1 million and reflects strong per-capita project performance.

“This recognition underscores the strength of our regional approach to economic development,” said Tiffany Tauscheck, President and CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. “Public, private and nonprofit partners across Greater Des Moines are aligned in supporting business growth, workforce development and long-term competitiveness. Achievements like this are the result of communities and businesses working together.”

Stacie LoVan, Senior Vice President of Economic Development at The Partnership, noted the significance of this national recognition for business recruitment efforts.

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Originally published by the Greater Des Moines Partnership in March 2026.