Iowa City is a city located in Johnson County Iowa. Iowa City has a 2024 population of 75,932. It is also the county seat of Johnson County. Iowa City is currently growing at a rate of 0.34% annually and its population has increased by 1.36% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 74,916 in 2020.
The average household income in Iowa City is $88,553 with a poverty rate of 26.26%. The median age in Iowa City is 26.3 years: 26.9 years for males, and 25.5 years for females.
Known as the City of Literature, Iowa City is part of the Iowa City metropolitan area, which includes all of Washington and Johnson counties. At one time, Iowa City was the second capital for the Iowa Territory and the first capital of Iowa state.
Iowa City has been named as the 10th best U.S. city for singles by Kiplinger, the #10 top "Smart Place to Live" by Kiplinger, and the third-best small metro area in the country by Forbes.
The city has a thriving arts and culture atmosphere, leading Utne Reader to name it as one of the Most Enlightened Towns in America. The Advocate, meanwhile, listed Iowa City as the third "Gayest City in America" with many gay-friendly resources. Iowa City has been ranked behind Atlanta, Georgia and Burlington, Vermont.
Iowa City, home to the University of Iowa, is a major college town in the state with a population that booms during the months when school is in session. 58% of the adults in Iowa City have at least a bachelor's degree.
Since the 2010 census, about 75% of Iowa's growth has been concentrated in just ten cities, most of them in central Iowa. Iowa City has been one of the fastest-growing cities in Iowa over the last five years due to economic development and a healthy economy.
A new report by the Census Bureau found that Iowa City and Des Moines had the fastest-growing populations among metro areas in the state since the census. During the last four years, the Iowa City metropolitan population climbed 7.7% to 164,000, beating the average growth for urban areas across the country, which grew at an average rate of 3.9% between 2010 and 2014.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Iowa City was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 56,551 | 75.14% |
| Black or African American | 6,342 | 8.43% |
| Asian | 5,156 | 6.85% |
| Two or more races | 5,081 | 6.75% |
| Other race | 1,934 | 2.57% |
| Native American | 186 | 0.25% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 14 | 0.02% |
White
Black or African American
Asian
Two or more races
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 30,780 | 2.23 | 46.3 | 53.7 |
| Non Family | 18,346 | 1.69 | 27.2 | 72.8 |
| Married | 9,912 | 2.97 | 82.2 | 17.8 |
| Female | 1,831 | 3.36 | 42.7 | 57.3 |
| Male | 691 | 3.13 | 49.5 | 50.5 |
2.95
Average Family Size
2.23
Average Household Size
46.3%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 699 | 1.78% |
| Associates Degree | 2,453 | 6.23% |
| Bachelors Degree | 12,228 | 31.07% |
| Graduate Degree | 11,650 | 29.6% |
| High School Graduate | 5,411 | 13.75% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 559 | 1.42% |
| Some College | 6,355 | 16.15% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 28,899 | 28,610 | 18,947 |
| Hispanic | 3,129 | 2,631 | 1,328 |
| Black | 2,972 | 2,792 | 745 |
| Asian | 2,669 | 2,431 | 1,869 |
| 2+ Races | 2,458 | 2,267 | 1,316 |
| Other Race | 1,302 | 1,069 | 561 |
| Native American | 115 | 106 | 10 |
| Islander | 14 | 14 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 70.03%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $48,803 | $58,370 | $43,818 |
| Graduate Degree | $70,385 | $79,417 | $66,402 |
| High School Graduate | $31,431 | $34,125 | $29,644 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $36,667 | $47,284 | $16,528 |
| Overall | $48,618 | $53,389 | $44,316 |
| Some College | $37,512 | $43,489 | $36,283 |
$48,618
Average Earnings
$53,389
Average Male
$44,316
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
81.88% of Iowa City residents speak only English, while 18.12% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 5.08% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 49,375 | 12,556 | 25.43% |
| Black | 5,893 | 1,795 | 30.46% |
| Hispanic | 5,672 | 1,420 | 25.04% |
| Asian | 4,782 | 1,370 | 28.65% |
| Multiple | 4,764 | 1,243 | 26.09% |
| Other | 1,905 | 317 | 16.64% |
| Native | 186 | 32 | 17.2% |
| Islander | 14 | 14 | 100% |
26.26%
Overall Poverty Rate
24.7%
Male Poverty Rate
27.78%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Iowa City is Islander, with 100% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Iowa City is Other, with 16.64% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.14%. Among those working part-time, it was 50.69%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 27.93%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 17.25% |
| High School | 15.6% |
| Some College | 15.32% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 6.72% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 55.11% |
| Female Employed | 27.54% |
| Female Unemployed | 23.82% |
| Male Employed | 19.25% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $108,546 | $136,785 |
| Households | $57,533 | $88,553 |
| Married Families | $126,369 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $36,821 | $54,401 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
32.4%
Overall Marriage Rate
34.2%
Male Marriage Rate
30.6%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
2,250
Number of Veterans
2,040
Male Veterans
210
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 875 |
| Second Gulf War | 544 |
| First Gulf War | 506 |
| Korea | 146 |
| World War II | 71 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 698 |
| 65 to 74 | 590 |
| 35 to 54 | 583 |
| 55 to 64 | 251 |
| 18 to 34 | 128 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 2,086 | 4.17% |
| 2+ Races | 80 | 2.08% |
| Black | 69 | 1.6% |
| Hispanic | 61 | 1.31% |
| Other Race | 15 | 0.88% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
3.27%
Veteran Poverty Rate
19.15%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
68.3%
Labor Force Participation
65.2%
Employment Rate
4.2%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
49.81%
Born in Iowa City
87.78%
Native Born
12.22%
Foreign Born
7.35%
Non Citizen
4.88%
Naturalized
87.78% of Iowa City residents were born in the United States, with 49.81% having been born in Iowa. 7.35% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 77,202 | 254 | 0.33% |
| 2028 | 76,948 | 254 | 0.33% |
| 2027 | 76,694 | 254 | 0.33% |
| 2026 | 76,440 | 254 | 0.33% |
| 2025 | 76,186 | 254 | 0.33% |
| 2024 | 75,932 | 254 | 0.34% |
| 2023 | 75,678 | -157 | -0.21% |
| 2022 | 75,835 | 644 | 0.86% |
| 2021 | 75,191 | 275 | 0.37% |
| 2020 | 74,916 | -1,136 | -1.49% |
| 2019 | 76,052 | 74 | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 75,978 | 78 | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 75,900 | 1,175 | 1.57% |
| 2016 | 74,725 | 1,130 | 1.54% |
| 2015 | 73,595 | 683 | 0.94% |
| 2014 | 72,912 | 1,392 | 1.95% |
| 2013 | 71,520 | 1,294 | 1.84% |
| 2012 | 70,226 | 1,002 | 1.45% |
| 2011 | 69,224 | 1,171 | 1.72% |
| 2010 | 68,053 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 62,220 | 2,482 | 4.15% |
| 1990 | 59,738 | 9,230 | 18.27% |
| 1980 | 50,508 | 3,658 | 7.81% |
| 1970 | 46,850 | 13,407 | 40.09% |
| 1960 | 33,443 | 6,231 | 22.9% |
| 1950 | 27,212 | 10,030 | 58.38% |
| 1940 | 17,182 | 1,842 | 12.01% |
| 1930 | 15,340 | 4,073 | 36.15% |
| 1920 | 11,267 | 1,176 | 11.65% |
| 1910 | 10,091 | 2,104 | 26.34% |
| 1900 | 7,987 | 971 | 13.84% |
| 1890 | 7,016 | -107 | -1.5% |
| 1880 | 7,123 | 1,209 | 20.44% |
| 1870 | 5,914 | 700 | 13.43% |
| 1860 | 5,214 | -71,988 | -93.25% |