Iowa banks had more than $49.6 billion in total loans at the end of the first quarter, a 9 percent increase from a year ago, the Iowa Bankers Association said today. Nationwide, total loans grew 5.4 percent, according to a report from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. In Iowa, banks experienced increased demand for real estate, farm, commercial and consumer loans. Net charge-offs dropped to 0.07 percent of total loans from 0.1 percent in the year-ago period. Profits grew to $226 million in the first quarter, up from $202 million in the first quarter of 2014. Return on assets was 1.19 percent at the end of the first quarter, up slightly from a year ago. Total assets were $76.6 billion at the end of the first quarter, compared with $73.5 billion a year ago.