Distribution & Warehousing
Iowa offers particular geographic and tax advantages for distribution and warehousing. With 
three Interstate highways (i-35, I-80 and I-29) and a network of highways, nearly 4,000 miles of rail freight track, statewide airport coverage and 60 barge terminals that ship and receive, Iowa provides efficient and cost-effective transportation choices.
It is projected by the Bureau of Economic Analysis that the warehousing and distribution industry in Iowa contributes approximately $5 billion to Iowa’s gross domestic product. Iowa Workforce Development cites there are 4,632 transportation and warehousing establishments in Iowa with $5 billion in sales, employing 64,480 people.
- Iowa’s roadway system ranks 12th in the nation, with 113,377 miles of highway. Each year
$300 billion in goods are shipped to and from Iowa. Trucks originating in Iowa can reach 83 million people within one day’s drive and 252 million people within two days’ drive. Freight and rail shipments can reach vital markets like Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Omaha and Kansas City in just a few short hours. - Iowa has 108 publicly-owned airports, including 8 that offer commercial air service. These facilities annually accommodate 2.5 million passengers and transport 175 million pounds of cargo annually.
- Iowa is crisscrossed by nearly 4,000 miles of rail freight track, used by 19 freight carriers to carry over 259.3 million tons of freight throughout the state to other destinations. Iowa also has two transcontinental Amtrak passenger routes.
- The 491 miles of inland waterways in Iowa carry more than 12 million tons of freight each year.
- General refrigerated storage in public and private warehouses in Iowa totals nearly 80 million gross cubic ft.
Contact the IADG Staff today for assistance with your next project.