Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators

This week, we take a closer look at manufacturing in the Quad Cities from a number of different perspectives. First, consider the size and importance of manufacturing here and across the U.S.  According to 2023 data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, total economic activity as measured by GDP in the six-county Quad Cities area (Clinton, Muscatine, Scott counties in Iowa; Henry, Mercer, and Rock Island counties in Illinois) totaled nearly $34 billion. Of that, about $6.4 billion (about 19%), can be attributed to manufacturing. This is double the share of manufacturing in total U.S. GDP (9.4% in the second quarter of 2025). Manufacturing’s share of GDP has been decreasing in the U.S. over many decades, and this is true for the Quad Cities as well. In 2005, manufacturing accounted for nearly 24% of GDP in the Quad Cities compared to about 13% in the U.S.

As a result, the Quad Cities area has become relatively more important to the country in terms of manufacturing production. If current trends continue, the region will require hundreds of new workers to fill the types of jobs that are growing faster here than in other parts of the country. According to data from Lightcast, a labor market analytics company, four out of the five manufacturing occupations with the most employees in the Quad Cities will grow by 2028. Production occupations are forecasted to add 248 jobs (1% growth). Transportation and material moving occupations will add 65 jobs (2% growth). Architecture and engineering occupations will add 103 jobs (4% growth), and installation, maintenance and repair occupations will increase by 87 jobs (4% growth). Overall, this represents about 500 net new jobs in a sector employing over 30,000 people in the Quad Cities.

The need to fill these jobs is seen in the data on job postings. Lightcast data on job postings shows that there have been 2,362 unique job postings from 502 employers for production occupations in the Quad Cities over the last year (Oct. ’24 to Sept. ’25). About half of these job postings list a salary, which generally ranged from $35,000 to $55,000 with about 10% of jobs posting salaries above $70,000. Salaries vary depending on the skills and experience required.

Another feature of the Quad Cities manufacturing economy is the way in which local supply chains have formed within different industries. Lightcast data from 2024 shows that firms in the primary metal manufacturing sector purchased $504 million, or about 26% of their purchases from other firms in the Quad Cities region. Fabricated metal manufacturers purchased over $166 million (24%) in the region. Machinery manufacturers purchased $87 million (28%) in the region. The ecosystem in these sectors of manufacturing is large, even compared to some of our peer cities in the Midwest.

While manufacturing has faced significant headwinds this year due to the pause in interest rate cuts and tariff uncertainty, these headwinds are temporary and came after a period of stronger than average growth. The types of skills required are changing due to technology. Even so, as conditions normalize, growth in both jobs and output will resume.

Next week: Federal Reserve interest rate decision