RANKING · 2024 ACS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most college graduates, Iowa cities

Iowa cities with the most adults 25 and over holding a bachelor's degree or higher, as of the 2024 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of graduates, not the share. This list covers the 87 cities in Iowa that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

IowaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPCOLLEGE GRADUATESVS 2020

01Des Moines, IAIA212,08641,668+6%

02Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,93531,048+5%

03West Des Moines, IAIA74,22427,223+9%

04Ankeny, IAIA77,83324,328+15%

05Iowa City, IAIA76,22923,879−0%

06Davenport, IAIA100,35820,553+12%

07Ames, IAIA68,22020,133+8%

08Urbandale, IAIA48,57016,304+11%

09Bettendorf, IAIA40,71013,701+9%

10Dubuque, IAIA59,14813,650+10%

11Sioux City, IAIA86,35612,405+8%

12Cedar Falls, IAIA41,24011,361+6%

13Waukee, IAIA34,89011,241+36%

14Marion, IAIA42,73211,199+14%

15Waterloo, IAIA66,9199,711−5%

16Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6809,140+10%

17Coralville, IAIA23,9609,060+4%

18Johnston, IAIA25,0658,917+13%

19Clive, IAIA19,8617,855+13%

20North Liberty, IAIA21,9767,297+13%

21Grimes, IAIA17,4055,379+41%

22Altoona, IAIA22,7964,804+34%

23Mason City, IAIA26,8534,011+2%

24Norwalk, IAIA15,0043,801+24%

25Burlington, IAIA23,3363,787+23%

26Fairfield, IAIA9,2203,714+3%

27Marshalltown, IAIA27,5363,656+2%

28Clinton, IAIA24,0493,608+5%

29Indianola, IAIA16,8293,550+17%

30Fort Dodge, IAIA24,8373,521+7%

31Ottumwa, IAIA25,3193,478+5%

32Muscatine, IAIA23,1643,270+5%

33Pella, IAIA10,9923,017+11%

34Waverly, IAIA10,5612,749+8%

35Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,2392,655+20%

36Bondurant, IAIA9,6472,597+62%

37Eldridge, IAIA6,9542,498+72%

38Spencer, IAIA11,2182,370+28%

39Tiffin, IAIA7,1562,253+192%

40Grinnell, IAIA9,4302,162+1%

41Newton, IAIA15,7412,140+29%

42Boone, IAIA12,4712,126+20%

43Decorah, IAIA7,4172,037+8%

44Carroll, IAIA10,0852,015+12%

45Sioux Center, IAIA8,8641,941−4%

46Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4931,932+12%

47Asbury, IAIA6,0351,928+1%

48Polk City, IAIA6,6301,809+24%

49Clear Lake, IAIA7,6011,775−5%

50Windsor Heights, IAIA5,0591,756+25%

51Knoxville, IAIA7,4691,626+72%

52Adel, IAIA7,0981,583+19%

53Orange City, IAIA6,4681,557+15%

54Le Mars, IAIA10,7601,489−4%

55Hiawatha, IAIA7,4321,485+19%

56Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,5001,402+1%

57Nevada, IAIA6,9741,390−15%

58Fort Madison, IAIA9,9351,332+14%

59DeWitt, IAIA5,7041,304+44%

60Storm Lake, IAIA11,5901,275+24%

61Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,3241,259−3%

62Keokuk, IAIA9,5101,205+5%

63Washington, IAIA7,2611,205+25%

64Creston, IAIA7,3351,172+1%

65Webster City, IAIA7,8151,172−10%

66Atlantic, IAIA6,6761,138−13%

67Independence, IAIA6,3121,075−1%

68Vinton, IAIA5,0041,013+50%

69Spirit Lake, IAIA5,5251,001−10%

70Glenwood, IAIA5,287982+27%

71Algona, IAIA5,309977+34%

72Manchester, IAIA5,357966+44%

73Cherokee, IAIA5,122911+16%

74Denison, IAIA8,214902+33%

75Perry, IAIA8,208901+100%

76Maquoketa, IAIA6,027857+39%

77Iowa Falls, IAIA5,013812+16%

78Winterset, IAIA5,520782−11%

79Sheldon, IAIA5,575778+5%

80Anamosa, IAIA5,901758+14%

81Oelwein, IAIA5,757731+11%

82Red Oak, IAIA5,388669+3%

83Charles City, IAIA7,013646−34%

84Centerville, IAIA5,327636−9%

85Estherville, IAIA5,807545−33%

86Clarinda, IAIA5,273542−17%

87Osceola, IAIA5,679513+8%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES