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Iowa ALJ Statistics

Social Security Disability hearing statistics for 1 hearing offices and 9 administrative law judges in Iowa.

State Approval Rate

54.9%

vs 58.3% national

Hearing Offices

1

in Iowa

ALJs

9

active judges

Avg Wait Time

7 months

vs 8 months national

Hearing Offices in Iowa

Office ALJs Approval Rate Wait Time Processing Pending
Des Moines 9 54.9% 6 months 239 days 1,696

About Iowa Disability Hearings

Social Security disability hearings in Iowa are conducted across 1 hearing office in SSA Region 07. A total of 9 Administrative Law Judges are currently assigned to hear cases in the state.

The average approval rate across Iowa hearing offices is 54.9%, which is close to the national average of 58.3%. This rate aggregates decisions from all judges across the state's hearing offices.

The hearing office in Iowa has a wait time of 6 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8 months.

Across all offices, there are 1,696 cases currently pending in Iowa, averaging approximately 188 pending cases per judge. Click on any hearing office below to see detailed judge-level statistics and individual approval rates.

Iowa Hearing Landscape

As a single-office state, all disability hearings in Iowa are conducted at one location. This means the state's overall statistics are driven entirely by the judges assigned to that office. All statistics on this page are weighted by individual judge caseloads to accurately reflect the volume of cases processed.

As the sole hearing office in Iowa, the Des Moines hearing office handles all disability appeals for the state. With 9 judges, this office processes the entire state caseload.

For attorneys practicing disability law in Iowa, understanding the local hearing landscape is an important part of case preparation. The data on this page provides a starting point for evaluating office-level patterns, though individual judge statistics offer more granular insight into decision-making tendencies. Visit individual office pages for judge-level data.

Iowa Disability Hearing FAQ

What is the disability approval rate in Iowa?
The average ALJ approval rate in Iowa is 54.9% for FY 2025. This includes both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions. The national average is 58.3%, putting Iowa below the national benchmark.
How many Social Security hearing offices are in Iowa?
Iowa has 1 SSA hearing office with a total of 9 administrative law judges. Hearing location is determined by the claimant's home address. Within each office, judges are assigned cases through a rotational scheduling system.
Which hearing office in Iowa has the shortest wait time?
The Des Moines hearing office currently has the shortest wait time at 6 months. These wait time figures represent the latest available snapshot and may fluctuate as hearing volumes and judge availability change over time.
How is state data calculated?
Iowa's 1 office handles cases for the state. State averages are calculated by aggregating data from all hearing offices within the state. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. All statistics are drawn from publicly available SSA disposition data, updated periodically as new fiscal year reports become available.
How does Iowa compare to other states?
Iowa is in SSA Region 07. Its average approval rate of 54.9% is below the national average of 58.3%. For a full comparison of approval rates and wait times across all states, visit the states overview page.
What factors influence hearing outcomes in Iowa?
Hearing outcomes in Iowa are influenced by several factors including the strength and completeness of medical evidence, vocational factors such as the claimant's age, education, and work history, the quality of legal representation at the hearing, and individual judge decision-making patterns.

While all ALJs apply the same federal disability standards, these case-level factors can lead to variation in outcomes across offices and judges.
Can I transfer my hearing to a different office in Iowa?
Your hearing office is determined by where you live, and the specific judge is assigned through the office's rotational calendar — neither is chosen by the claimant. While transfers between offices are generally not possible based on preference, a change of address that moves you into a different office's service area may result in case reassignment. Since Iowa has only one hearing office, all disability hearings in the state are conducted at that location.

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