RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most graduate degrees, Iowa cities · 2020

Iowa cities ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2023 ACS). This list covers the 87 cities in Iowa that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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IowaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000

01Iowa City, IAIA76,22929.7%+7%

02Ames, IAIA68,22029.7%+6%

03Coralville, IAIA23,96027.0%+24%

04North Liberty, IAIA21,97625.8%+271%

05Clive, IAIA19,86122.9%+33%

06Asbury, IAIA6,03522.0%+172%

07Fairfield, IAIA9,22021.9%+32%

08Grinnell, IAIA9,43021.4%+98%

09Bettendorf, IAIA40,71021.3%+62%

10Cedar Falls, IAIA41,24020.5%+27%

11Decorah, IAIA7,41720.1%+73%

12Johnston, IAIA25,06519.1%+25%

13West Des Moines, IAIA74,22418.9%+34%

14Waverly, IAIA10,56116.9%+54%

15Waukee, IAIA34,89016.5%+101%

16Sioux Center, IAIA8,86415.9%+46%

17Polk City, IAIA6,63015.8%+166%

18Ankeny, IAIA77,83315.3%+46%

19Urbandale, IAIA48,57014.8%+15%

20Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,32414.0%+141%

21Norwalk, IAIA15,00413.9%+100%

22Orange City, IAIA6,46813.7%+16%

23Pella, IAIA10,99213.2%+38%

24Grimes, IAIA17,40513.2%+77%

25Dubuque, IAIA59,14811.8%+52%

26Cherokee, IAIA5,12211.4%+195%

27Tiffin, IAIA7,15611.4%+66%

28DeWitt, IAIA5,70410.8%+153%

29Eldridge, IAIA6,95410.6%−0%

30Marion, IAIA42,73210.6%+58%

31Winterset, IAIA5,52010.3%+280%

32Adel, IAIA7,09810.2%+149%

33Clear Lake, IAIA7,60110.2%+52%

34Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,9359.9%+35%

35Indianola, IAIA16,8299.6%+29%

36Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,2399.6%+53%

37Davenport, IAIA100,3588.9%+25%

38Des Moines, IAIA212,0868.5%+31%

39Atlantic, IAIA6,6768.3%+22%

40Independence, IAIA6,3128.3%+107%

41Ottumwa, IAIA25,3198.3%+52%

42Windsor Heights, IAIA5,0598.2%−34%

43Spirit Lake, IAIA5,5258.1%+102%

44Bondurant, IAIA9,6478.0%+168%

45Nevada, IAIA6,9747.7%−14%

46Hiawatha, IAIA7,4327.5%+37%

47Mason City, IAIA26,8537.5%+15%

48Sioux City, IAIA86,3567.4%+18%

49Iowa Falls, IAIA5,0137.4%+27%

50Altoona, IAIA22,7967.3%+51%

51Webster City, IAIA7,8157.2%+42%

52Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,5007.1%+26%

53Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4937.0%+22%

54Marshalltown, IAIA27,5366.9%+26%

55Anamosa, IAIA5,9016.9%+116%

56Le Mars, IAIA10,7606.9%+62%

57Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6806.8%+51%

58Creston, IAIA7,3356.7%+87%

59Spencer, IAIA11,2186.6%+104%

60Fort Dodge, IAIA24,8376.4%+7%

61Manchester, IAIA5,3576.3%+37%

62Carroll, IAIA10,0856.3%+49%

63Boone, IAIA12,4716.2%+56%

64Oelwein, IAIA5,7576.2%+61%

65Waterloo, IAIA66,9196.1%−14%

66Glenwood, IAIA5,2876.0%+50%

67Burlington, IAIA23,3365.9%+3%

68Red Oak, IAIA5,3885.9%+54%

69Estherville, IAIA5,8075.9%+44%

70Newton, IAIA15,7415.8%−7%

71Muscatine, IAIA23,1645.8%+20%

72Storm Lake, IAIA11,5905.7%−4%

73Washington, IAIA7,2615.4%−11%

74Knoxville, IAIA7,4695.3%+78%

75Sheldon, IAIA5,5755.3%+29%

76Clinton, IAIA24,0495.2%+15%

77Clarinda, IAIA5,2735.0%−12%

78Vinton, IAIA5,0044.9%−16%

79Osceola, IAIA5,6794.9%+20%

80Maquoketa, IAIA6,0274.8%+16%

81Charles City, IAIA7,0134.6%+26%

82Fort Madison, IAIA9,9354.5%+18%

83Keokuk, IAIA9,5104.5%−0%

84Algona, IAIA5,3094.3%−2%

85Denison, IAIA8,2144.2%+31%

86Centerville, IAIA5,3274.1%+8%

87Perry, IAIA8,2081.8%−42%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES