Iowa is one of a handful of states heading out of the recession, according to a national research organization.

In a study released early this month, Moody's Economy.com said Iowa is one of 11 states exiting the recession, although on a local level Dubuque is not faring as well as most of the state's other metro areas.

The study found the state's unemployment insurance claims moderated in the second quarter, which indicates that job losses will slow.

Finance and retail are providing support, and housing permits have improved consistently all year, according to Moody's analysis.

But the state's unemployment level was reported at 6.7 percent in the most recent September data, up from 4.2 percent the year before, according to Iowa Workforce Development.

Moody's reported Nevada is the only state still "deeply entrenched" in the recession, while all others are experiencing a slowdown.

Moody's Economy is a division of Moody's Analytics and provides economic analysis, data and forecasting and credit risk services.

David Lyons agrees with the report and believes that the state

Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaska out of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaskaout of recession Moody's Economy.com has found the following states are emerging from the recession: * Iowa * Missouri * Indiana * Mississippi * Louisiana * Nebraska * South Dakota * North Dakota * Montana * Idaho * Alaska

is on the rebound.

"Everything I see in Iowa tends to reflect that," said Lyons, who is heading up the Smarter Sustainable Dubuque project. Lyons has held a variety of state leadership roles, including director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development.

He noted the work that has been done to bolster the state's economy for the past decade.

"Relatively speaking, the plan is working. The Iowa economy is diversified, it is more reticent," he said. "It is showing a tendency to slip into recession slower. I'm pretty hopeful about that."

Within Iowa, Moody's reported that the metropolitan statistical areas in Ames, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Iowa City and Sioux City are all in a state of recovery, but Dubuque and Waterloo are in a stage of "moderating recession."

The Dubuque area is benefiting from an "industrious government committed to attracting business and fostering growth" along with low living and business costs.

But the study also noted the area's population is older than average and there is an abundance of leisure and hospitality jobs paying low wages.

Lyons said that based on his personal observations, however, Dubuque is in the top tier of communities in the state moving out of the economic downturn.

"The impact of the recession arrived here in Dubuque later than normal and is beginning to lift earlier," he said.

The Moody's analysis pointed to moderating conditions in Illinois and Wisconsin.

The industrial production in Wisconsin has been slowed by poor economies in the U.S. and Canada, and there have been considerable job losses in high-paying manufacturing industries.

In Illinois, the Chicago area still has "above average but moderating unemployment and house price declines," while the central and southern parts of the state have had few real estate loss problems and mild job losses, according to the study.

Unemployment has been high in the northwestern half of the state.

Russ Simpson, the interim executive director of Tri-County Economic Development Alliance, said last week that Jo Daviess, Carroll and Whiteside counties are grappling with double-digit unemployment percentages.

Lyons added that Moody's data is some of the more reliable data he's seen in gauging current economic conditions.

"It's the kind of economic indicator everyone needs to pay attention to," he said.