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METRO AREA · 2020 ACS

Iowa City Metro

Iowa City, IA · 2 counties · 175,419 residents · 1,182 sq mi
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The short version

With 175,419 people, Iowa City is a metro area. This is an unusually credentialed place: 50% of adults have a four-year degree. This skews young, with a median age of 32.5. Growth has run 33% since 2000, or 43,743 more people. 77% were living in the same home a year earlier. Getting to work takes 20 minutes on average.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 32.5
US median: 38.8
More educated
50% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 29%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
175,419
+33%since 2000
from 131,676 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
148 / sq mi
+33%since 2000
from 111 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
32.5
+8%since 2000
from 30.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
1,182 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
109K128K147K167K186K19902000201020202024Iowa City
2024179K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.7%(10,053)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(10,448)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.7%(9,971)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.8%(11,909)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2414%(24,569)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3415.6%(27,339)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.3%(21,514)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410%(17,457)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6410.4%(18,161)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 748.4%(14,743)
US avg: 10%
75 to 843.7%(6,493)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.6%(2,762)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$63,122
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,910 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$35,169
+63%since 2000
from $21,592 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
42.6%
+11.8 ptssince 2009
from 30.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
16.0%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 13.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information11%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade8.8%
US avg: 10%
Wholesale trade5.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services4.8%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration3.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Finance & insurance3.4%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical2.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.8%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction1.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$228,309
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $117,499 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$958
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $542 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
59.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2000
from 59.6% in 2000
40.6% rent
Persons per household
2.38 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.34 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
3.6
+8%since 2009
from 3.3 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-Hispanic90%(118,457)
Black2.4%(3,206)
Hispanic / Latino2.5%(3,345)
Asian3.5%(4,608)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic76.6%(134,449)
Black7.3%(12,820)
Hispanic / Latino6.7%(11,810)
Asian4.9%(8,668)
Other2.8%(4,957)
Segregation Score
29
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.4%(5,828)
Central American0.9%(1,585)
Honduran0.4%(740)
Puerto Rican0.4%(667)
Colombian0.3%(493)
Guatemalan0.2%(365)
Salvadoran0.2%(342)
Spaniard0.1%(256)
Cuban0.1%(211)
Bolivian0.1%(104)
Nicaraguan0.1%(93)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese1.7%(2,862)
Asian Indian1.5%(2,242)
Korean0.8%(1,393)
Vietnamese0.7%(997)
Filipino0.3%(526)
Japanese0.2%(269)
Thai0.1%(199)
Laotian0.1%(159)
Nepalese0.1%(133)
Pakistani0.1%(117)
Bangladeshi0.1%(103)
Taiwanese0.1%(78)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(21)
Samoan0%(3)
Ancestry
German28.5%(49,252)
Irish13.3%(22,979)
English9.4%(16,240)
Norwegian4.3%(7,367)
American4.1%(7,137)
Czech3.3%(5,626)
Italian3%(5,111)
Swedish2.6%(4,563)
Dutch2.3%(3,900)
Scottish2%(3,423)
Polish1.9%(3,308)
+ 45 more ancestry groups with data
French1.9%(3,303)
Danish1.3%(2,218)
Swiss1.1%(1,898)
Scotch-Irish1%(1,652)
Welsh0.8%(1,428)
Russian0.7%(1,179)
British0.7%(1,149)
Greek0.3%(478)
Hungarian0.3%(470)
Lithuanian0.2%(400)
Nigerian0.3%(394)
Belgian0.2%(386)
Portuguese0.2%(245)
Finnish0.1%(232)
Lebanese0.1%(228)
Iranian0.1%(219)
West Indian0.1%(209)
Ukrainian0.1%(202)
Austrian0.1%(194)
Canadian0.1%(186)
Croatian0.1%(159)
Syrian0.1%(149)
Slovak0.1%(132)
Iraqi0.1%(130)
Arab0.1%(120)
Moroccan0.1%(119)
Brazilian0.1%(96)
Slovene0.1%(96)
Jamaican0.1%(94)
Turkish0.1%(93)
Armenian0.1%(78)
Australian0.1%(78)
Israeli0.1%(77)
Serbian0%(65)
Guyanese0.2%(43)
Egyptian0%(41)
Haitian0%(27)
Romanian0%(24)
Ethiopian0%(23)
Ghanaian0%(23)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
50.1%
+7.5 ptssince 2000
from 42.7% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
95.2%
+3.3 ptssince 2000
from 91.9% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
22.8%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 18.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.8 min
+70%since 2000
from 11.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
70.1%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 67.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
6.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2011
from 4.4% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
69.9%
−2.3 ptssince 2011
from 72.2% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
79.9%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
46.5%
+4.5 ptssince 2009
from 42.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.2% in 2009
Female
50.4%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.8% in 2009
Foreign born
10.6%
+4.5 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
5.3%
−2.7 ptssince 2013
from 8.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
94.9%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
77.2%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married45.6%(33,576)
Married47.1%(34,685)
Widowed1.9%(1,406)
Divorced5.4%(3,995)
Women 15+
Never married40.8%(30,948)
Married43.8%(33,217)
Widowed5.4%(4,125)
Divorced9.9%(7,498)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.3%
−2.7 ptssince 2013
from 8.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
65.7%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
17.8%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
13.0%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
13.9%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
1.5%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
80.4%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
26.1%
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)22.1%(1,389)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)21.1%(1,329)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era30.1%(1,897)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War11.2%(708)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.4%(149)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 6,299 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
In this metro

Largest cities

Iowa CityCENTRAL76,229Coralville23,960North Liberty21,976Washington7,261Tiffin7,156Solon3,345Kalona2,811Wellman1,539Lone Tree1,332University Heights1,177Riverside1,086Hills913Swisher901Shueyville722Oxford707Brighton589Ainsworth512Crawfordsville278West Chester147Frytown113
What's inside

2 component counties

Johnson CountyCENTRAL160,044Washington County22,667
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Iowa City

Eau Claire
Pop 176,647
Oshkosh
Pop 174,218
Dover
Pop 194,786
La Crosse
Pop 171,182
Places similar to Iowa City
Head to head

Compare Iowa City side by side

IOWA CITY VS
Eau Claire
Income$74,597+18%
Home value$259,809+14%
Population176,647−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
IOWA CITY VS
Oshkosh
Income$74,925+19%
Home value$225,800−1%
Population174,218−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
IOWA CITY VS
Dover
Income$74,477+18%
Home value$316,600+39%
Population194,786+7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
IOWA CITY VS
La Crosse
Income$73,555+17%
Home value$248,970+9%
Population171,182−6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Iowa City, IA?

Iowa City, IA has about 175,419 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Iowa City, IA earns about $63,122 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Iowa City, IA expensive?

In Iowa City, IA, the median home is worth about $228,309, and the typical rent is about $958 a month.

How educated are people in Iowa City, IA?

About 50.1% of adults age 25 and over in Iowa City, IA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Iowa City, IA?

About 16.0% of people in Iowa City, IA live below the federal poverty line.

Has Iowa City, IA grown since 1990?

Yes, Iowa City, IA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 59,688 residents, a change of about 52 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →