Des Moines County, IA

County

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2023 Population
38,597
0.585% 1-year decline
US Senator
Chuck Grassley
Republican Party
US Senator
Joni Ernst
Republican Party
2023 Median Age
42.2
0.238% 1-year increase
2023 Poverty Rate
14.1%
3.45% 1-year decrease
2023 Median Household Income
$60,662
4.44% 1-year growth
2023 Median Property Value
$137,000
1.26% 1-year growth
2023 Employed Population
18,652
0.285% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Des Moines County, IA had a population of 38.6k people with a median age of 42.2 and a median household income of $60,662. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Des Moines County, IA declined from 38,824 to 38,597, a −0.585% decrease and its median household income grew from $58,084 to $60,662, a 4.44% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Des Moines County, IA are White (Non-Hispanic) (85.2%), Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) (4.94%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.17%), Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (1.3%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.14%).

None of the households in Des Moines County, IA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.4% of the residents in Des Moines County, IA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Des Moines County, IA are Southeastern Community College (989 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2023, the median property value in Des Moines County, IA was $137,000, and the homeownership rate was 72.7%.

Most people in Des Moines County, IA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Des Moines County, IA was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: View of downtown Burlington, IA
Photo by David Wilson
United StatesIowaBurlington, IA-IL

Population & Diversity

Des Moines County, IA is home to a population of 38.6k people, from which 98.4% are citizens. As of 2023, 2.6% of Des Moines County, IA residents were born outside of the country (1k people).

In 2023, there were 17.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (32.9k people) in Des Moines County, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.91k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 1.61k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.4%
2023 Citizenship
98.6%
2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 98.4% of Des Moines County, IA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Des Moines County, IA was 98.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Des Moines County, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Des Moines County, IA
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    32.9k ± 170
  2. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    1.91k ± 299
  3. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    1.61k ± 285
3.5%
Hispanic Population
1.35k people

In 2023, there were 17.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (32.9k people) in Des Moines County, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.91k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 1.61k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

3.5% of the people in Des Moines County, IA are hispanic (1.35k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Des Moines County, IA as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Iowa.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    42,808 ± 5,046 people
  2. India
    12,283 ± 2,716 people
  3. China
    7,889 ± 2,178 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Iowa was Mexico, the natal country of 42,808 Iowa residents, followed by India with 12,283 and China with 7,889.

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Foreign-Born Population

2.6%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
1k people
2.2%
2022 Foreign-Born Population
854 people

As of 2023, 2.6% of Des Moines County, IA residents (1k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Des Moines County, IA was 2.2%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Des Moines County, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    1,055 ± 211
  2. Gulf War (1990s)
    384 ± 111
  3. Gulf War (2001-)
    339 ± 127

Des Moines County, IA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.75 times greater than any other conflict.

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Economy

The economy of Des Moines County, IA employs 18.7k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Des Moines County, IA were Manufacturing (3,422 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,920 people), and Retail Trade (2,467 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($69,531), Public Administration ($67,838), and Utilities ($62,159).

Employment

Occupations

18.7k
2023 Value
± 975
0.285%
1 Year growth
± 7.24%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Des Moines County, IA grew at a rate of 0.285%, from 18.6k employees to 18.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Des Moines County, IA, are Production Occupations (2,187 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,031 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,836 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Des Moines County, IA.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Iowa (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

18.7k
2023 Value
± 975
0.285%
1 Year growth
± 7.24%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Des Moines County, IA grew at a rate of 0.285%, from 18.6k employees to 18.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Des Moines County, IA, are Manufacturing (3,422 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,920 people), and Retail Trade (2,467 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Des Moines County, IA, though some of these residents may live in Des Moines County, IA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$47,421
Median earning men ± $3,562
$34,081
Median earning women ± $2,246

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($76,544), Public Administration ($71,627), and Information ($69,444).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($54,861), Construction ($47,031), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($45,423).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.
Y-Axis
1.48%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.57M people employed in Iowa. This represents a 1.48% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Iowa.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 101
    Other Services (except Public Administration)
  2. 59
    Retail Trade
  3. 49
    Finance and Insurance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $233k
    Manufacturing
  2. $186k
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  3. $89.4k
    Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing the state of Iowa. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Voting results are not available for Des Moines County, IA. Showing the available data for Iowa.
2024 Election Results
  1. Donald J. Trump (55.7%)
    Republican Party
  2. Kamala Harris (42.5%)
    Democratic Party
  3. Robert Kennedy (0.789%)
    Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Iowa for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Iowa

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.
Chuck Grassley
Senator from Iowa3
Assumed office on January 3, 1981
Joni Ernst
Senator from Iowa2
Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing Iowa.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Iowa over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Iowa

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Iowa have changed over time starting in 2008.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Des Moines County, IA awarded 989 degrees. The student population of Des Moines County, IA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 1,038 male students and 1,524 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Des Moines County, IA are White (477 and 49.2%), followed by Unknown (326 and 33.6%), Black or African American (56 and 5.78%), and Hispanic or Latino (50 and 5.16%).

The largest universities in Des Moines County, IA by number of degrees awarded are Southeastern Community College (989 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Des Moines County, IA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (248 and 25.1%), Nursing Assistant & Patient Care Assistant (185 and 18.7%), and Welding Technology (71 and 7.18%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 2,562 students enrolled in Des Moines County, IA, 40.5% men and 59.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,718 records, of which 61.4% were women and 38.6% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Registered Nursing
    57 degrees awarded
  2. General Business Administration & Management
    20 degrees awarded
  3. Liberal Arts & Sciences
    248 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Des Moines County, IA was Registered Nursing with 57 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Des Moines County, IA according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Southeastern Community College
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
989 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Southeastern Community College with 989 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2023, 314 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Des Moines County, IA, which is 0.465 times less than the 675 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 477 degrees mean that there were 1.46 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 326 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($6,240) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($210) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,354) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.
Measure

In 2023, 0.708% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.723% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

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Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.
Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (748k), Some college (554k), and Bachelors Degree (481k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Des Moines County, IA was $137,000 in 2023, which is 0.452 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $135,300 to $137,000, a 1.26% increase. The homeownership rate in Des Moines County, IA is 72.7%, which is higher than the national average of 65%.

People in Des Moines County, IA have an average commute time of 18.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Des Moines County, IA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Des Moines County, IA is $60,662. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Des Moines County, IA was Census Tract 12, Des Moines County, IA with a value of $87,639, followed by Census Tract 9, Des Moines County, IA and Census Tract 10, Des Moines County, IA, with respective values of $77,936 and $77,438.

In 2024, 13.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Des Moines County, IA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 0.331%.

Housing

Property

$137,000
Median Property Value 2023
±$7,131
$12,495
Median Property Taxes
±$699

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Des Moines County, IA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Des Moines County, IA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

72.7%
Homeownership
2023
60.1%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2023

In 2023, 72.7% of the housing units in Des Moines County, IA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 69.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Des Moines County, IA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.
Race/Ethnicity
Highest Median Household Income (Total)
  1. Census Tract 12, Des Moines County, IA
  2. Census Tract 9, Des Moines County, IA
  3. Census Tract 10, Des Moines County, IA

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Des Moines County, IA was Census Tract 12, Des Moines County, IA with a value of $87,639, followed by Census Tract 9, Des Moines County, IA and Census Tract 10, Des Moines County, IA, with respective values of $77,936 and $77,438.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Des Moines County, IA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$60,662
Median Household Income
± $3,525
17.2k
Number of Households
± 852

In 2023, the median household income of the 17.2k households in Des Moines County, IA grew to $60,662 from the previous year's value of $58,084.

The following chart displays the households in Des Moines County, IA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Des Moines County, IA is from Iowa.
0.441
2023 Wage GINI in Iowa
0.442
2022 Wage GINI in Iowa

In 2023, the income inequality in Iowa was 0.441 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.304% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Iowa was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Iowa in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Iowa across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023
  1. Drove Alone (81.9%)
  2. Carpooled (10%)
  3. Worked At Home (4.31%)

In 2023, 81.9% of workers in Des Moines County, IA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10%) and those who worked at home (4.31%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

18.6 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Des Moines County, IA have a shorter commute time (18.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.24% of the workforce in Des Moines County, IA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Des Moines County, IA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Des Moines County, IA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Des Moines County, IA have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 13.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Des Moines County, IA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 0.331%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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Poverty & Diversity

14.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Des Moines County, IA (5.35k out of 37.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females < 5, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Des Moines County, IA is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Children in Poverty

In 2024, 19.3% of the children was living in poverty in Des Moines County, IA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 8.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 518 in Des Moines County, IA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 43.3 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

96% of the population of Des Moines County, IA has health coverage, with 45.1% on employee plans, 21% on Medicaid, 15.6% on Medicare, 13.4% on non-group plans, and 0.993% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Des Moines County, IA see 1,327 patients per year on average, which represents a 14.3% decrease from the previous year (1,548 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1596 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 395 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,327 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Des Moines County, IA

Primary care physicians in Des Moines County, IA see an average of 1,327 patients per year. This represents a 14.3% decrease from the previous year (1,548 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Des Moines County, IA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.5% under 18 years, 18.4% between 18 and 34 years, 37.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

4.01%
Uninsured
45.1%
Employer Coverage
21%
Medicaid
15.6%
Medicare
13.4%
Non-Group
0.993%
Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Des Moines County, IA grew by 14.6% from 3.5% to 4.01%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Des Moines County, IA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 50 in Des Moines County, IA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Des Moines County, IA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 38.5% in Des Moines County, IA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Des Moines County, IA.

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 5.22% in Des Moines County, IA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Des Moines County, IA.

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