The Miss Iowa competition is the official preliminary for the state of Iowa in the Miss America Scholarship Competition.
McKenzie Kerry of Des Moines was crowned Miss Iowa 2026 on June 13, 2026, at the Davenport Central Performing Arts Center in Davenport, Iowa. She competed for the title of Miss America 2027 on September 6, 2026, at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida.
No contestant from Iowa has ever won the national Miss America title; however, two Miss Iowa titleholders have finished as first runners-up.
Cheryl Browne, Miss Iowa 1970, competed in the Miss America 1971 pageant as the first African American contestant.Photographs by Paul Cauley, 1971 Door Gunner, A Co 101st Avn
Gallery of past titleholders
Results summary The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Iowa titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.
Placements 1st runners-up: Joanne MacDonald (1959), Catherine Lemkau (1993) 2nd runners-up: Susan Thompson (1969), Olivia Myers (2009) 3rd runners-up: Lisa Somodi (1992) 4th runners-up: Mariah Cary (2013) Top 10: Lynda Jeanne Formanek (1968), Renee Stuedemann (1973), Lori Froeling (1980), Kerri Rosenberg (1991), Diana Reed (2008), Jessica Pray (2012), Kelly Koch (2017) Top 11: McKenzie Kerry (2027) Top 12: Aly Olson (2015), Taylor Wiebers (2016)
Awards Preliminary awards Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness: Susan Thompson (1969), Catherine Lemkau (1993) (tie), Taylor Wiebers (2016) Preliminary Talent: Lisa Somodi (1992), Catherine Lemkau (1993), Diana Reed (2008), Taylor Wiebers (2016) Preliminary Social Impact Pitch: Bailey Hodson (2023) Preliminary Evening Gown: McKenzie Kerry (2027)
Non-finalist awards Non-finalist Talent: Martha Barsness (1957), Joleen Wolf (1963), Carolyn Northway (1964), Marie Mushro (1966), Lois Koth (1970), Cheryl Browne (1971), Jean Bollhoefer (1975), Darla Blocker (1982), Linda Simon (1983), Robin Wolfram (1987), Jayna Sanchez (1990), Lisa Dondlinger (1999), Jennifer Caudle (2000), Carolyn Nicholas (2005), Anne Langguth (2010), Chelsea Dubczak (2018) Non-finalist Interview: Pauli Mayfield (2011)
Other awards Miss Congeniality: Marie Mushro (1966) Miss America Scholar Award: Erin Smith (2002) Quality of Life Award 1st runners-up: Theresa Uchytil (2001) Quality of Life Award 2nd runners-up: Nancy Van Meter (1994) Quality of Life Award Finalists: Anne Langguth (2010)
Winners
Year Name Hometown Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes2026McKenzie KerryDes Moines27Miss Polk CountyVocalTop 11Preliminary Evening GownPreviously Miss Iowa USA 2024