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CITY · 2020 ACS

Iowa City

Iowa · 74,828 residents · 25.8 sq mi
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The short version

With 74,828 people, Iowa City is a city in Iowa. This skews young, with a median age of 27.1. This is an unusually credentialed place: 60% of adults have a four-year degree. People stay put here: 69% were in the same home a year ago. 46% of homes are owner-occupied. The poverty rate is 27.3%, above the 12.8% national rate.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 27.1
US median: 38.8
More educated
60% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

74,828
+20%since 2000
from 62,220 in 2000
1990 – 2025
27.1
+7%since 2000
from 25.4 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
25.8 sq mi
Population, 19902024
58K63K68K73K77K19902000201020202024Iowa City
202476K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.7%(3,516)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.5%(3,381)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 144.2%(3,112)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.6%(5,697)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2424.3%(18,178)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3416.6%(12,412)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4410.5%(7,846)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 548.1%(6,030)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 648%(6,010)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 747.1%(5,326)
US avg: 10%
75 to 843.1%(2,324)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.3%(996)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$48,148
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,977 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$30,034
+48%since 2000
from $20,269 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
33.4%
+8.3 ptssince 2009
from 25.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
27.3%
+5.6 ptssince 2000
from 21.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information11.2%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade6%
US avg: 10%
Other services3.6%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance3.6%
US avg: 5.5%
Wholesale trade3%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical2.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Public administration2.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.8%
Transportation & warehousing0.8%
US avg: 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.7%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$223,900
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $121,400 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$976
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $572 in 2000
US average: $1,124
45.7%
−0.8 ptssince 2000
from 46.5% in 2000
54.3% rent
2.20 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.23 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
4.7
+4%since 2009
from 4.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic85.8%(53,405)
Black3.7%(2,272)
Hispanic / Latino2.9%(1,833)
Asian5.6%(3,492)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic70.6%(52,796)
Black10.1%(7,574)
Hispanic / Latino7.3%(5,451)
Asian7.3%(5,457)
Other2.9%(2,195)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3%(2,245)
Honduran0.7%(529)
Puerto Rican0.7%(515)
Colombian0.3%(195)
Guatemalan0.3%(193)
Cuban0.3%(190)
Spaniard0.2%(122)
Venezuelan0.1%(73)
Dominican0.1%(49)
Salvadoran0.1%(46)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese2.6%(1,941)
Korean1.4%(1,038)
Asian Indian1.3%(969)
Vietnamese0.8%(623)
Thai0.2%(124)
Nepalese0.2%(119)
Japanese0.2%(118)
Filipino0.1%(105)
Bangladeshi0.1%(103)
Taiwanese0.1%(78)
Pakistani0.1%(52)
Sri Lankan0.1%(49)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Laotian0.1%(43)
Malaysian0%(34)
Cambodian0%(15)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(14)
Ancestry
German26.8%(20,330)
Irish13.5%(10,241)
English9.9%(7,480)
Norwegian4.2%(3,170)
Italian3.9%(2,964)
Czech3.3%(2,507)
American3.2%(2,409)
Swedish3.1%(2,324)
Polish2.8%(2,102)
Dutch2.1%(1,582)
Scottish1.9%(1,431)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
French1.8%(1,341)
Danish1.5%(1,100)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(675)
British0.9%(665)
Swiss0.9%(648)
Russian0.8%(626)
Welsh0.7%(507)
Greek0.3%(233)
Lebanese0.3%(206)
Lithuanian0.2%(185)
Iranian0.2%(167)
Hungarian0.2%(166)
Belgian0.2%(160)
Austrian0.2%(156)
Syrian0.2%(149)
Nigerian0.2%(142)
Finnish0.2%(128)
Slovak0.2%(121)
Arab0.2%(120)
Ukrainian0.2%(120)
Moroccan0.2%(119)
Canadian0.2%(119)
West Indian0.1%(110)
Iraqi0.1%(107)
Croatian0.1%(102)
Slovene0.1%(96)
Australian0.1%(78)
Jamaican0.1%(78)
Israeli0.1%(77)
Portuguese0.1%(62)
Armenian0.1%(60)
Serbian0.1%(58)
Turkish0%(25)
Ghanaian0%(23)
Brazilian0%(15)
Egyptian0%(14)
Haitian0%(8)
Section 05

Education

59.6%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 55.9% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
96.5%
+1.8 ptssince 2000
from 94.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
29.7%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 27.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

17.3 min
+69%since 2000
from 10.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
58.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 59.4% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
10.4%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

4.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2011
from 5.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
66.9%
−2.2 ptssince 2011
from 69.1% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
76.8%
US average: 73.3%
47.9%
+3.8 ptssince 2009
from 44.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

49.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
50.1%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
13.7%
+5.9 ptssince 2009
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
4.9%
−3.5 ptssince 2013
from 8.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
95.6%
US average: 91.9%
68.9%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married59.7%(19,372)
Married34.4%(11,148)
Widowed1.8%(595)
Divorced4.1%(1,319)
Women 15+
Never married56.3%(19,335)
Married31.5%(10,823)
Widowed4.6%(1,567)
Divorced7.7%(2,631)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

4.9%
−3.5 ptssince 2013
from 8.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
63.9%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
21.1%
US average: 13.7%
12.0%
US average: 17.6%
13.6%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
1.5%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
80.7%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
24.9%
US average: 35.2%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)25.6%(609)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)22.9%(545)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era31.3%(743)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War12.3%(291)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.1%(49)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 2,375 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Iowa City, Iowa?

Iowa City, Iowa has about 74,828 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Iowa City, Iowa?

The typical household in Iowa City, Iowa earns about $48,148 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Iowa City, Iowa expensive?

In Iowa City, Iowa, the median home is worth about $223,900, and the typical rent is about $976 a month.

How educated are people in Iowa City, Iowa?

About 59.6% of adults age 25 and over in Iowa City, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Iowa City, Iowa?

About 27.3% of people in Iowa City, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.

Has Iowa City, Iowa grown since 1990?

Yes, Iowa City, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 15,090 residents, a change of about 25 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →