Iowa

The state of Iowa, located in the agricultural heartland of the United States, is bounded by Minnesota to the north, Missouri to the south, Illinois to the east, and Nebraska and South Dakota to the west. In 2007, there were 2,982,000 people living in Iowa. Iowa is a rural state, with fewer than half of its population living in urban areas. Its income, although now diversifying, remains agriculturally based. Life for women in Iowa differs greatly depending upon socioeconomic status, rural or urban location, and level of education or job training.

According to the 2000 Iowa Census, 50.9 percent of the population was female. Of all Iowa households, 8.6 percent were headed by females without a husband present, and 5.6 percent were headed by women ...