Exhibit 99.1   Press Release



PRESS RELEASE
August 28, 2000               For further information contact:
                              David M. Bradley
                              Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer
                              North Central Bancshares, Inc.
                              825 Central Avenue
                              Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501
                              515-576-7531



                         NORTH CENTRAL BANCSHARES, INC.
                               ANNOUNCES DIVIDEND

David M. Bradley, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of North
Central Bancshares, Inc. (the "Company") announced today that the Company
declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.125 per share on the Company's
common stock for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2000.  The dividend will
be payable to all stockholders of record as of September 15, 2000 and will be
paid on October 6, 2000.

North Central Bancshares, Inc. serves north central and southeastern Iowa at 8
full service locations in Fort Dodge, Nevada, Ames, Burlington, Mount Pleasant
and Perry, Iowa through its wholly-owned subsidiary, First Federal Savings Bank
of Iowa, headquartered in Fort Dodge, Iowa.  The Bank's deposits are insured by
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.  The Company's stock is traded on The
Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "FFFD".