RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most college graduates, Iowa cities · 2020

Iowa cities with the most adults 25 and over holding a bachelor's degree or higher, as of the 2020 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. The median across all 87 is 1,719.

IowaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPCOLLEGE GRADUATESVS –

01Des Moines, IAIA212,08639,301–

02Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,93529,492–

03West Des Moines, IAIA74,22424,987–

04Iowa City, IAIA76,22923,908–

05Ankeny, IAIA77,83321,209–

06Ames, IAIA68,22018,577–

07Davenport, IAIA100,35818,408–

08Urbandale, IAIA48,57014,741–

09Bettendorf, IAIA40,71012,614–

10Dubuque, IAIA59,14812,427–

11Sioux City, IAIA86,35611,538–

12Cedar Falls, IAIA41,24010,727–

13Waterloo, IAIA66,91910,267–

14Marion, IAIA42,7329,865–

15Coralville, IAIA23,9608,703–

16Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6808,275–

17Waukee, IAIA34,8908,245–

18Johnston, IAIA25,0657,924–

19Clive, IAIA19,8616,947–

20North Liberty, IAIA21,9766,453–

21Mason City, IAIA26,8533,919–

22Grimes, IAIA17,4053,805–

23Fairfield, IAIA9,2203,597–

24Marshalltown, IAIA27,5363,593–

25Altoona, IAIA22,7963,575–

26Clinton, IAIA24,0493,440–

27Ottumwa, IAIA25,3193,322–

28Fort Dodge, IAIA24,8373,298–

29Muscatine, IAIA23,1643,107–

30Burlington, IAIA23,3363,071–

31Norwalk, IAIA15,0043,057–

32Indianola, IAIA16,8293,041–

33Pella, IAIA10,9922,718–

34Waverly, IAIA10,5612,537–

35Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,2392,218–

36Grinnell, IAIA9,4302,140–

37Sioux Center, IAIA8,8642,015–

38Asbury, IAIA6,0351,909–

39Decorah, IAIA7,4171,889–

40Clear Lake, IAIA7,6011,871–

41Spencer, IAIA11,2181,854–

42Carroll, IAIA10,0851,792–

43Boone, IAIA12,4711,769–

44Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4931,719–

45Newton, IAIA15,7411,657–

46Nevada, IAIA6,9741,631–

47Bondurant, IAIA9,6471,600–

48Le Mars, IAIA10,7601,545–

49Polk City, IAIA6,6301,457–

50Eldridge, IAIA6,9541,456–

51Windsor Heights, IAIA5,0591,403–

52Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,5001,388–

53Orange City, IAIA6,4681,350–

54Adel, IAIA7,0981,331–

55Atlantic, IAIA6,6761,305–

56Webster City, IAIA7,8151,297–

57Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,3241,292–

58Hiawatha, IAIA7,4321,246–

59Fort Madison, IAIA9,9351,169–

60Creston, IAIA7,3351,157–

61Keokuk, IAIA9,5101,149–

62Spirit Lake, IAIA5,5251,109–

63Independence, IAIA6,3121,083–

64Storm Lake, IAIA11,5901,026–

65Charles City, IAIA7,013986–

66Washington, IAIA7,261962–

67Knoxville, IAIA7,469943–

68DeWitt, IAIA5,704908–

69Winterset, IAIA5,520882–

70Estherville, IAIA5,807811–

71Cherokee, IAIA5,122784–

72Glenwood, IAIA5,287773–

73Tiffin, IAIA7,156772–

74Sheldon, IAIA5,575738–

75Algona, IAIA5,309727–

76Iowa Falls, IAIA5,013703–

77Centerville, IAIA5,327700–

78Vinton, IAIA5,004677–

79Denison, IAIA8,214677–

80Manchester, IAIA5,357669–

81Anamosa, IAIA5,901667–

82Oelwein, IAIA5,757659–

83Clarinda, IAIA5,273650–

84Red Oak, IAIA5,388647–

85Maquoketa, IAIA6,027615–

86Osceola, IAIA5,679474–

87Perry, IAIA8,208450–

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS