Iowa Frets Over Loss of Talent

Here are the numbers that have Iowa economic development officials concerned about their loss of young talented people:

• Iowa lost 18,362 residents with four years or more of college between 1995 and 2000 - the fourth-greatest numerical loss in the nation - a report by Iowa State University's Office of Social and Economic Trend Analysis showed.

• Iowa had a net export of 12,926 young people ages 22 to 29 with at least a college degree between 1995 and 2000. This was the seventh-highest loss rate in the nation, a 2000 report by the National Information Center for Higher Education Policymaking and Analysis found.

• Percentage-wise, only one state, North Dakota, lost more single college graduates ages 25 to 39 than Iowa, a Census 2000 special report on young adult migration indicates.

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