FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Investor Relations Department
Telephone:  712-732-4117


FIRST MIDWEST FINANCIAL, INC. ANNOUNCES INCREASE IN QUARTERLY
CASH DIVIDEND:

(Storm Lake, Iowa - November 24, 1997)  First Midwest Financial,
Inc. has announced that the Company will increase its quarterly
cash dividend to 12 cents per share for the first fiscal quarter
of 1998, from the current 9 cents per share.  The dividend, which
represents an increase of 33%, will be payable on or about
January 2, 1998 to stockholders of record on December 15, 1997. 
President and Chairman James S. Haahr stated, "The Board of
Directors approved the increased cash dividend in recognition of
the financial performance of the Company.  We are pleased to pay
this additional cash dividend to the stockholders of First
Midwest Financial, Inc."

The Company has increased dividends each year since its first
cash dividend on January 5, 1995. Regular quarterly dividends
have been paid since that date.  At September 30, 1997 First
Midwest Financial, Inc. had assets of $405 million and
stockholders' equity of $43.5 million.  The company's stock is
traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "CASH."

Corporate Profile:  

First Midwest Financial, Inc. is the holding company for First
Federal Savings Bank of the Midwest and Security State Bank. 
First Federal Savings Bank has its main bank office in Storm
Lake, Iowa, and six branch offices in a four-county area of
Northwest Iowa.  It also includes two Brookings Federal Bank
Division offices in Brookings, South Dakota, and two Iowa Savings
Bank Division offices in Des Moines and West Des Moines, Iowa. 
Security State Bank, with offices in Stuart, Casey and Menlo,
Iowa, is a separate holding of First Midwest and operates as a
commercial bank chartered by the State of Iowa.