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Iowa City, IA

Government town · 36.9% of jobs are government, including public universities (U.S. 12.1%)Healthcare and research hub · Healthcare and science jobs 1.6x the U.S. share

Tiffin is part of the Iowa City area. This page covers the whole metro.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Iowa City

Black angel iowa
City high iowa city
City high iowa city · Photo: Billwhittaker ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
Englert Civic Theatre, Iowa City
Flyover at the Crossover at Kinnick
Image Kirkwood House
Image Kirkwood House · Photo: Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
Iowa City Art Festival Music
Iowa City Art Festival Music · Photo: Stephen Cummings from USA, CC BY 2.0
Iowa City City Hall
Iowa City Depot
Iowa City Downtown June
Iowa City Downtown June · Photo: Stevat20, CC BY-SA 4.0
Iowa City Transit
Iowa City Transit · Photo: JLiu1596, CC BY-SA 4.0
Jingle Cross World Cup Cyclocross Race
Jingle Cross World Cup Cyclocross Race · Photo: Phil Roeder from Des Moines, IA, USA, CC BY 2.0
North riverside drive
North riverside drive · Photo: Iowa city flood2008, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Where it is
Iowa City
Iowa City in Iowa
Iowa in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Iowa City area.

22
grocery stores
101
restaurants
30
coffee shops
69
parks
84
playgrounds
5
libraries
4
movie theaters
6
live theaters
5
museums
10
bookstores
20
gyms
23
bars
14
pharmacies
5
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What rent costs

Of about 27,277 rented homes in the Iowa City area, 91% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 43%
$1,000 to $1,499: 36%
$1,500 to $1,999: 12%
$2,000 to $2,499: 6%
$2,500 to $2,999: 1%
$3,000 or more: 1%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Iowa City area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $2,000 to $2,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Public schools

4 public school districts in this county, with about 19,817 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Iowa City Comm School District · Iowa City
14,805 students · 13.7 students per teacher · 29 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Clear Creek Amana Comm School District · Oxford
3,061 students · 14.3 students per teacher · 7 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Solon Comm School District · Solon
1,523 students · 15.9 students per teacher · 4 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Lone Tree Comm School District · Lone Tree
428 students · 12.6 students per teacher · 2 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$302,216
What a typical home sells for across the Iowa City area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 8% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $92 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 91.5 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 3 hr 36 min at rush hour
To downtown Chicago, IL, 234 miles. About 3 hr 33 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
20 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
1 within 15 miles
The nearest is about 6.1 miles from the town center. The largest is about 3,000 sq ft.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL), loaded July 2026
Homeowners insurance
About $2,902 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in IA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Median household income
$74,721
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.56% of home value a year
About $1,560 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 3.80%
IA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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