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      <submissionType>144</submissionType>
      <filerInfo>
        <filer>
          <filerCredentials>
            <cik>0001791732</cik>
            <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
          </filerCredentials>
        </filer>
        <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
  
  
      </filerInfo>
    </headerData>
    <formData>
      <issuerInfo>
        <issuerCik>0000920112</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA INC</issuerName>
        <secFileNumber>001-15393</secFileNumber>
        <issuerAddress>
          <com:street1>1800 LARIMER STREET</com:street1>
          <com:street2>SUITE 1800</com:street2>
          <com:city>DENVER</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>CO</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>80202</com:zipCode>
        </issuerAddress>
        <issuerContactPhone>5635892100</issuerContactPhone>
        <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>Engel Robert B</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
        <relationshipsToIssuer>
          <relationshipToIssuer>Director</relationshipToIssuer>
        </relationshipsToIssuer>
      </issuerInfo>
      <securitiesInformation>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Depositary Shares, each representing 1/400th interest in a share of 7.00 percent Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E</securitiesClassTitle>
        <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
          <name>Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>245 Summer Street</com:street1>
            <com:city>Boston</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>MA</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>02110</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <noOfUnitsSold>7600</noOfUnitsSold>
        <aggregateMarketValue>191982.76</aggregateMarketValue>
        <noOfUnitsOutstanding>4600000</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
        <approxSaleDate>05/07/2024</approxSaleDate>
        <securitiesExchangeName>NASDAQ</securitiesExchangeName>
      </securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Depositary Shares, each representing 1/400th interest in a share of 7.00 percent Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>05/15/2023</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Open Market Purchase</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Open Market Purchase</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>600</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>05/15/2023</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Cash</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Depositary Shares, each representing 1/400th interest in a share of 7.00 percent Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>03/13/2023</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Open Market Purchase</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Open Market Purchase</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>2000</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>03/13/2023</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Cash</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Depositary Shares, each representing 1/400th interest in a share of 7.00 percent Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>08/26/2022</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Open Market Purchase</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Open Market Purchase</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1000</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>08/26/2022</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Cash</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Depositary Shares, each representing 1/400th interest in a share of 7.00 percent Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>08/12/2020</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Open Market Purchase</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Open Market Purchase</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>4000</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>08/12/2020</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Cash</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <noticeSignature>
        <noticeDate>05/07/2024</noticeDate>
        <signature>/s/ Myra King, as a duly authorized representative of Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, as attorney-in-fact for Robert B. Engel</signature>
      </noticeSignature>
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text: 144
  0001791732
  XXXXXXXX
  LIVE
  0000920112
  HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA INC
  001-15393
  1800 LARIMER STREET
  SUITE 1800
  DENVER
  CO
  80202
  5635892100
  Engel Robert B
  Director
  Depositary Shares, each representing 1/400th interest in a share of 7.00 percent Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E
  Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC
  245 Summer Street
  Boston
  MA
  02110
  7600
  191982.76
  4600000
  05/07/2024
  NASDAQ
  Depositary Shares, each representing 1/400th interest in a share of 7.00 percent Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E
  05/15/2023
  Open Market Purchase
  Open Market Purchase
  N
  600
  05/15/2023
  Cash
  Depositary Shares, each representing 1/400th interest in a share of 7.00 percent Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E
  03/13/2023
  Open Market Purchase
  Open Market Purchase
  N
  2000
  03/13/2023
  Cash
  Depositary Shares, each representing 1/400th interest in a share of 7.00 percent Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E
  08/26/2022
  Open Market Purchase
  Open Market Purchase
  N
  1000
  08/26/2022
  Cash
  Depositary Shares, each representing 1/400th interest in a share of 7.00 percent Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E
  08/12/2020
  Open Market Purchase
  Open Market Purchase
  N
  4000
  08/12/2020
  Cash
  Y
  05/07/2024
  /s/ Myra King, as a duly authorized representative of Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, as attorney-in-fact for Robert B. Engel