THE DIRTBID REGIONAL MODEL · IOWA

Iowa Sitework Costs, Region by Region

Sitework in Iowa on the same Richmond Metro = 1.00 scale as the rest of DirtBid: 10 cost regions and 99 counties, each with a soil-risk rating from USDA and USGS data. Des Moines Metro runs highest at 0.88×; Sioux City Metro lowest at 0.81×.

Iowa multipliers and county ratings are planning-level: built from federal price and soil data, and not yet checked against local bids or a local estimator.

Cost regions
10
Counties in the model
99
Richmond Metro baseline
1.00×

Rest of Iowa

0.83×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Clarion, Nicollet, Colo

77 counties in this region. 69 of 77 rate high for water table. 68 of 77 rate high for dewatering. USGS maps karst-prone rock across much of 1 of the 77. Highest risk score: Appanoose County (6 of 10).

Counties: Adair County, Adams County, Allamakee County, Appanoose County, Audubon County, Buchanan County, Buena Vista County, Butler County, Calhoun County, Carroll County, Cass County, Cedar County, Cerro Gordo County, Cherokee County, Chickasaw County, Clarke County, Clay County, Clayton County, Clinton County, Crawford County, Davis County, Decatur County, Delaware County, Des Moines County, Dickinson County, Emmet County, Fayette County, Floyd County, Franklin County, Fremont County, Greene County, Hamilton County, Hancock County, Hardin County, Henry County, Howard County, Humboldt County, Ida County, Iowa County, Jackson County, Jefferson County, Keokuk County, Kossuth County, Lee County, Louisa County, Lucas County, Lyon County, Mahaska County, Marion County, Marshall County, Mitchell County, Monona County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Muscatine County, O'Brien County, Osceola County, Page County, Palo Alto County, Plymouth County, Pocahontas County, Poweshiek County, Ringgold County, Sac County, Shelby County, Sioux County, Tama County, Taylor County, Union County, Van Buren County, Wapello County, Wayne County, Webster County, Winnebago County, Winneshiek County, Worth County, Wright County

Des Moines Metro

0.88×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Sharpsburg, Clarion, Nicollet

6 counties in this region. 6 of 6 rate high for water table. 6 of 6 rate high for dewatering. Highest risk score: Dallas County (5 of 10).

Counties: Dallas County, Guthrie County, Jasper County, Madison County, Polk County, Warren County

Cedar Rapids Metro

0.84×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Dinsdale, Kenyon, Fayette

3 counties in this region. 3 of 3 rate high for water table. 2 of 3 rate high for dewatering. Highest risk score: Benton County (5 of 10).

Counties: Benton County, Jones County, Linn County

Iowa City Metro

0.88×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Fayette, Tama, Ladoga

2 counties in this region. 2 of 2 rate high for water table. 2 of 2 rate high for dewatering. Highest risk score: Johnson County (5 of 10).

Counties: Johnson County, Washington County

Davenport Metro

0.84×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Tama, Downs, Muscatine

1 county in this region. 1 of 1 rate high for water table. 1 of 1 rate high for dewatering. Highest risk score: Scott County (5 of 10).

Counties: Scott County

Waterloo Metro

0.82×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Kenyon, Clyde, Marquis

3 counties in this region. 3 of 3 rate high for water table. 3 of 3 rate high for dewatering. Highest risk score: Black Hawk County (5 of 10).

Counties: Black Hawk County, Bremer County, Grundy County

Ames Metro

0.84×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Clarion, Nicollet, Canisteo

2 counties in this region. 2 of 2 rate high for water table. 2 of 2 rate high for undercut. Highest risk score: Boone County (5 of 10).

Counties: Boone County, Story County

Omaha Metro (Iowa side)

0.88×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Monona, Napier, Ida

3 counties in this region. 2 of 3 rate high for water table. Highest risk score: Harrison County (5 of 10).

Counties: Harrison County, Mills County, Pottawattamie County

Sioux City Metro

0.81×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Ida, Monona, Napier

1 county in this region. Highest risk score: Woodbury County (4 of 10). This multiplier sits outside the range the model was tested on, so treat it as rougher.

Counties: Woodbury County

Dubuque Metro

0.82×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Fayette, Downs, Nordness

1 county in this region. Highest risk score: Dubuque County (4 of 10).

Counties: Dubuque County

FAQ

Iowa Cost Questions

Which soil problems drive sitework cost in Iowa?

From USDA soil survey data, the most common across the state: water table (88 of 99 counties rate high), dewatering (84 of 99 counties rate high), undercut (21 of 99 counties rate high). A parcel can differ from its county, so read the survey for your exact site.

Where do the Iowa multipliers come from?

From the Commerce Department's Regional Price Parities, on the same Richmond Metro = 1.00 scale as Virginia. Across 29 reviewed regions that method missed by about 0.03 on average. They have not been checked against executed bids in Iowa, so use them for planning, not a final bid.

How reliable are the Iowa county ratings?

They are screening ratings from federal soil and geology data, not a local estimator's review and not a geotechnical report. Tested against 511 reviewed counties, they land within one level most of the time, and exact matches are less common. Get borings before you price a real site.

Soil Report

See what's under your Iowa parcel

A $350 DirtBid AI Soil Report reads the official USDA survey for your exact parcel, flags the hazards above, and prices the risk — before you buy land or sign a contract.

Get a Soil Report — $350 See pricing