City Profile

Iowa City, Iowa

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Overall Score

Iowa City is a vibrant, culturally rich municipality located in Johnson County, Iowa, best known as the home of the prestigious University of Iowa. Founded in 1839 as the capital of the Iowa Territory, the city retains a historic charm while functioning as a progressive intellectual hub. It was designated as a UNESCO City of Literature in 2008, celebrating its profound literary heritage that includes the famous Iowa Writers' Workshop. Today, residents are drawn to the city for its unique blend of small-town friendliness, world-class educational and medical institutions, and a lively downtown arts scene.

About Iowa

Iowa, located in the Midwest, is characterized by its expansive farmlands and a generally relaxed, community-focused lifestyle. The state's economy is diverse, with major industries including advanced manufacturing, biosciences, finance and insurance, and its foundational agricultural sector, which leads in corn, soybean, ethanol, and pork production. Living in Iowa is notably affordable, with the cost of living, particularly housing, being significantly lower than the national average. The climate is humid continental, featuring hot, humid summers and cold winters, with seasonal precipitation and susceptibility to various natural disasters like snowstorms, floods, and tornadoes.

74,800

Population

$64K

Avg Salary

Cost Index

66.3

Quality Score

How this 66/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them

Component	Readings used	Points	Weight	Contributes
Safety	Safety score: 76 / 100	76.0	30%	22.8
Affordability	Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 93.0	52.5	25%	13.1
Economy & jobs	Median household income: $68,500 Income needed to live here: $52,000 Unemployment rate: 2.8%	77.3	20%	15.5
Growth	Population growth rate: 0.8% Job growth rate: 1.9%	51.5	15%	7.7
Business climate assessment	Business climate assessment: 72 / 100	72.0	10%	7.2
Overall score				66.3

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 1 (fast) (q=52, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 16 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business

Livability

Affordability

Growth

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Iowa City is generally slightly below the national average, making it an attractive and manageable place to live for families, professionals, and students alike. Housing costs fluctuate depending on proximity to the university campus, but overall utility, grocery, and transportation expenses remain relatively stable compared to major coastal metros. Property taxes in Iowa, however, can be a notable consideration for homeowners, while rental markets experience high seasonal turnover driven by the academic calendar.

Average Rent

$1,250/mo

Groceries

$400/mo

Transport

$100/mo

Utilities

$170/mo

Healthcare

$220/mo

Gym membership (monthly)

$45.00

Cinema ticket

$12.00

Restaurant meal (mid-range)

$20.00

Monthly groceries

$380.00

Doctor visit (without insurance)

$140.00

Income

Salary Insights

Iowa City's economy is heavily anchored by education, healthcare, and public administration, with the University of Iowa and University of Iowa Health Care serving as the area's largest employers. This institutional foundation provides the local job market with strong resilience against broader economic downturns, fostering steady employment rates. Additionally, a growing ecosystem of tech startups, professional services, and local retail helps diversify career opportunities for incoming residents.

The average salary in Iowa City is $64,000 per year. You would need approximately $52,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Retail Trade +1.00% Accommodation & Food Services +2.00% Healthcare & Social Assistance +2.40% Professional & Technical Services +2.80% Educational Services +1.20%

Weather

Climate

🌡️

52°F

Avg Temp

☀️

83°F

Summer High

❄️

16°F

Winter Low

🌧️

34.60"

Annual Rain

💧

68.00%

Humidity

🌤️

268

Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Getting around Iowa City is convenient via the Iowa City Transit bus system, which offers extensive routes connecting residential areas, downtown, and the university campus. The city is also notably bike-friendly, featuring dedicated cycling lanes and a widespread network of multi-use trails. While a car is helpful for regional travel or reaching outlying commercial centers, the core urban areas are easily navigable on foot or via public transit.

18 min

Avg Commute

62.00/10

Transit Score

68.00/10

Walkability

Medium

Car Dependency

At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages

Home to the University of Iowa and world-class UI Health Care facilities, providing exceptional employment and medical care.

Designated as a UNESCO City of Literature with a vibrant arts, cultural, and literary heritage.

Extensive public transit and bicycle infrastructure making the downtown and campus highly walkable.

Crime rates consistently lower than the national average, ensuring a safe family-oriented environment.

Thriving local dining, coffee shop, and independent bookstore scene centered around the historic downtown pedestrian mall.

Drawbacks

Rental market can be volatile and competitive due to the seasonal influx and exodus of university students.

Property tax rates in Iowa are relatively high compared to some neighboring states.

Winters bring cold temperatures and significant snowfall, requiring active snow removal and winter preparedness.

Traffic congestion around campus and major medical centers during peak morning and afternoon commuting hours.

Limited major manufacturing or heavy industry base, concentrating economic reliance primarily on education and healthcare.

Head to Head

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Iowa City VS Des Moines Iowa City VS Urbandale Iowa City VS Cincinnati Iowa City VS Binghamton

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Questions about Iowa City

What people ask about living in and moving to Iowa City, Iowa.

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Gathering the most common questions about Iowa City…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

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Iowa City, Iowa

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Questions about Iowa City

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Urblytica's Cost of Living Index calculated relative to the national baseline?

Where does Urblytica source its real estate and housing market data?

What criteria determine whether a city is eligible for a full Urblytica economic and lifestyle profile?

How are historical data revisions handled when federal or municipal agencies update past statistics?

How are U.S. federal income tax brackets and state income taxes integrated into Urblytica's U.S. affordability model?

What role do local property tax millage rates play in calculating U.S. cost-of-living scores?

How does Urblytica account for state-level sales tax and local excise tax variations across U.S. cities?

How are U.S. regional utility costs—such as electricity and natural gas—benchmarked across different climate zones?

Does Urblytica's U.S. cost-of-living index factor in employer-sponsored healthcare or out-of-pocket medical costs?

How does Urblytica measure U.S. school district performance and educational access?

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