Iowa City, Iowa
Forever Hawkeyes: Long after graduation, U. of Iowa students remain in Iowa City, thanks to its various amenities, vibrant literary culture, and bustling downtown.Matthew HolstGetty Images
- StateIowa
- CountyJohnson
- Population76,135
As home to the University of Iowa, Iowa City welcomes thousands of college students and Hawkeye alumni each year. The reason many stay long after graduation lies in the cultural experiences, bustling downtown, and amenities on offer in this Midwestern gem.
The city has a long history of supporting and nurturing creatives, particularly writers. Since 2008 it’s been a Unesco City of Literature thanks to the myriad publishers, literary events and festivals, libraries, and bookstores found within its boundaries—a rare achievement that only one other place (Seattle) in the nation can claim. The University of Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop is widely considered one of the best graduate programs in the country and has produced five poets laureate and numerous Pulitzer Prize winners. Its downtown houses multiple bookshops, the most famous being Prairie Lights, which has hosted big-name author talks and readings since the late 1970s.
In addition to bookstores, downtown Iowa City hosts more than 70 locally owned shops as well as numerous restaurants, art galleries, and event spaces. This section of the city is also home to several community events, like the annual Downtown Block Party, Farm to Street Dinner, Northside Oktoberfest & Iowa City Brew Fest, and Winter Night Lights, a month-long public art show. Another local unifier: cheering on the University of Iowa’s football team and other athletes during the school year.
While home prices in Iowa City are higher than you’d find in most other parts of the state, the cost of living is still relatively low compared with that of similar cities across the U.S. Residents benefit from low crime rates, high public school graduation rates, and robust access to quality medical care: 135 area doctors received above-average ratings from Healthgrades, helping Iowa City achieve a perfect score on Sharecare’s health care access index, which examines the availability of health care facilities and concentration of health professionals in a region.—KR
The city has a long history of supporting and nurturing creatives, particularly writers. Since 2008 it’s been a Unesco City of Literature thanks to the myriad publishers, literary events and festivals, libraries, and bookstores found within its boundaries—a rare achievement that only one other place (Seattle) in the nation can claim. The University of Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop is widely considered one of the best graduate programs in the country and has produced five poets laureate and numerous Pulitzer Prize winners. Its downtown houses multiple bookshops, the most famous being Prairie Lights, which has hosted big-name author talks and readings since the late 1970s.
In addition to bookstores, downtown Iowa City hosts more than 70 locally owned shops as well as numerous restaurants, art galleries, and event spaces. This section of the city is also home to several community events, like the annual Downtown Block Party, Farm to Street Dinner, Northside Oktoberfest & Iowa City Brew Fest, and Winter Night Lights, a month-long public art show. Another local unifier: cheering on the University of Iowa’s football team and other athletes during the school year.
While home prices in Iowa City are higher than you’d find in most other parts of the state, the cost of living is still relatively low compared with that of similar cities across the U.S. Residents benefit from low crime rates, high public school graduation rates, and robust access to quality medical care: 135 area doctors received above-average ratings from Healthgrades, helping Iowa City achieve a perfect score on Sharecare’s health care access index, which examines the availability of health care facilities and concentration of health professionals in a region.—KR
Town Information
| Median sale price for single family residences (2022) | $291,949 |
| Median household income | $61,306 |
| Racial and ethnic makeup of current residents | Asian: 8.64%, Black: 8.77%, Hispanic: 7.05% |
| Racial and ethnic makeup of U.S. | Asian: 6.1%, Black: 13.6%, Hispanic: 18.9% |
| High school district graduation rate (averages of districts were applied when necessary) | 90.19% |
| Percent of schools serving students in the area that rank "above average" (averages of districts were applied when necessary) | 27% |
| Number of hospitals within 25 miles recommended by over 50% of patients | 4 |
| Number of above-average nursing homes within 50 miles, per 100,000 households | 36 |
| Sharecare Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100) | 74 |
Sources: ATTOM, U.S. Census Bureau, GreatSchools, Healthgrades, Caring.com, Sharecare